141 Miles Apart
by icantthinkofaname11
Summary: College au: Jace can handle the running and the lifting. The lack of sleep and the overwhelming homework load. He can handle his asshole teammates and the girls that just will not leave him alone. The abnormal pain in his knee and the terrible campus food. But the one thing he finds that he can not handle, is that Clary is not with him. Long-distance sucks.
1. Chapter 1

The whistle blew and Jon almost cried in relief. They had been running for the past two hours. Like sprinting, not just jogging. His legs were on fire and his lungs felt like they were three seconds away from collapsing.

"Huddle up!" Coach yelled, walking to the center of the field.

Jon sighed, jogging to where coach was now kneeling, and taking his place on the ground next to Jace. Jace looked pissed off but for entirely different reason.

"Good job today." Coach said, looking at his clipboard. "I was going to have you run drills for the next forty minutes but I'm going to let you guys go early."

Jon's jaw dropped a little. They had got here August fourth and today was the first time they were getting out early, 19 days later. Normally he even held them late.

Coach continued to talk but Jon zoned him out. If practice was supposed to end at 5 and he was calling it quits forty minutes early it was probably twenty after four. They were about a two hour drive away from home and today was Clary's birthday and first game of her last season. The game started at 6:15. Jon figured he could shave a good twenty minutes off the travel time.

And maybe it would put Jace in a better mood. He leaned over and whispered, "Want to drive home?"

It was a dumb question honestly. If Jace had five hours available he would drive the two there and back just to spend an hour with her.

He nodded, a small smile spreading on his face. It was the first time Jon had seen him smile since coach had told them they had late practice today on Monday.

Everyone was standing so Jon got up from his knee and put his hand in the middle, throwing it up with a loud "Buckeyes!"

And than him and Jace were running to the locker room and jumping into the showers. One minute later they both stepped out, pulling their sweats and a t-shirt on their still wet bodies, oh the things they did for Clary. And than they were off, sprinting to the car at the other end of campus, all tiredness forgotten.

"What time is it?" Jace asked as they ran.

Jon flicked his wrist to look at the watch he had just put back on. "4:30. We've got to hurry."

Jace nodded. Jon saw his car and practically flung himself in it. "We're going to get stuck in rush hour." Jace said as Jon backed the car out.

Jon shook his head. "We should be ahead of it for most of the way."

Jace nodded, pulling out his phone.

"Are you telling her?" Jon asked.

"No, just texting her. Her present is in my dorm so the surprise will have to do for now."

Jon laughed. It had been weird at first, he's not going to lie, when they had started dating. Sure, he had seen it a mile away but it was a little weird to see your best friend date your little sister but he had grown to actually really appreciate it. They had been friends almost as long as Jon and him and he knew that Jace respected her not only as a girlfriend but as a friend and person.

It also didn't hurt that Jace loved her like he loved no one else. Not even Jon or Alec. The kid had almost went to a community college so he wouldn't have had to leave her. Luckily Clary's not an idiot and had practically packed his bags for him.

"What time do we have practice in the morning?" Jace asked.

"Lifting at 9, conditioning at 11, practice at 3." Jon rattled off.

"Can we spend the night? Drive back at 6?" Jace asked.

"Will you drive while I sleep?" Jon asked.

"Absolutely." Jace said. "I'll even cook you breakfast."

Jon laughed, knowing that he was being completely serious. "Yeah, as long as you promise to be in a good mood tomorrow, I'm sick and tired of all your moodiness."

"Sorry, I just severely underestimated how much I was going to miss her."

"Dude, you almost gave up your dream college to stay near her, how is that underestimating?"

"Because I didn't." He shrugged. "And it just really sucks because I want her to live her dream and she wants to go to New York which is so much farther than Cleveland."

"She hasn't decided anything yet, don't freak out until you have to."

"Mate, it's been less than a month without her and she's barely started school and I feel like we barely get to talk. I don't want to find out things about her through Twitter or Instagram, I want to hear about her day and if she's upset. I want to be able to watch movies with her if she needs it or take her out on fancy dates. And I can't do that when she's not with me and it makes me feel like a shitty boyfriend."

"Why, it was nothing you could control?"

"I chose to go here. I chose to leave her. One hundred percent my doing."

"You are a separate person from her, you make decisions and she makes decisions. Sometimes you make them together and sometimes they work out. Sometimes they don't."

"I think you're missing the point." Jace put his head against the window. "I love football but I love her ten times more. I knew I would be happy playing anywhere but I would be unhappy if I went anywhere she wasn't."

"Jace." Jon sighed. "Volleyball season will be over soon enough and you know she'll come see us whenever she can. Our families are coming down to spend Christmas with us so she'll be here too. Same with Thanksgiving. It'll be different then."

"But that's not fair to her." Jace tugged at his hair. "I'm going to miss her senior homecoming and we both know she's going to be queen. I'm going to miss almost all of her games and you know they're going far. I'm going to miss everything important to her."

"So am I. She's my sister and my best friend and I won't be able to see her do anything. I won't even be able to see her. But you and I both know she'd never forgive either of us for giving up our dreams for her."

"Exactly, which is why I feel so guilty because I can't help but hope she gives up her dream to come to OSU with us."

Jon let out a breath. "Me too."

The rest of the car ride was pretty much silent until they got off the highway, only ten from the school.

"She just texted me and said she has to put her phone away now, they're starting warm ups." Jace informed him with a grin. "So the games going to start in twenty or so minutes."

"Fuck yes! Is Alec going to be there?"

"Yeah I told him we were going to be there if he wanted to meet up."

"When does he leave?"

"Sunday."

Jon whistled. "When did Clary start."

"The 21st. So Tuesday."

"Does she have any homework?"

Jace gave him a look. "Dude, it's her senior year."

Jon laughed as he pulled into the school and drove around back.

"This is weird." Jace commented. "Being back here."

"I know, imagine what it'll feel like in like twenty years."

Jon parked the car and they both climbed out. They walked as fast as they could to the gym and stopped at the ticket table outside the gym. They could see inside and all the people that were in the stands. The student section was overflowing and the home section was almost completely full.

Jon could see Alec sitting by his parents who were sitting with Jon's mom and Luke. Max was also there, to absorbed in a comic book.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Jon turned to see Simon smiling at them. Well, at Jon at least. Him and Jace had never seen quite eye to eye.

"It's Clary's birthday." Jon shrugged. "And we got let out early so we sped over here."

"She was really bummed that you two weren't here, not that she would ever say that." He gave them a grin. "Glad you guys could make it."

Jon looked at Jace who had set his jaw. They reached the front of the line before anything else could be said and paid for their tickets. They stood in the doorway and were instantly greeted by old friends and teachers. They had their eyes on Clary though who was digging balls as her team spiked them at her.

Her teammate saw them and pointed. Clary turned her head after digging a ball out and her jaw dropped. She sprinted off the floor and jumped into Jace's arms. He laughed as he held her, his arms wrapped tight around her. She kissed him and slid out of his grip, throwing her arms around Jon's middle.

"What are you doing here?"

Jace came up behind her, pulling her braids. "Happy birthday babe." She smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed.

"Are you guys staying?" She asked, walking slightly back towards the court where her unhappy coach was waiting.

"Yeah." Jace moved forward to kiss her forehead. "We'll talk later, kick ass."

She grinned at the both of them before running back to where she was before, just in time to pass a ball. They waved to Izzy who was to concentrated on volleyball to do much more than wave back on their way to where their parents were sitting together.

"Jon!" Jocelyn stood to hug her son, surprised to see him. "We've missed you."

He returned the hug before moving to hug Luke. Jace hugged the Lightwoods before hugging Jocie and Luke too.

"How was the drive?" Robert asked when Jace say in front of him, next to Jon.

"Quick." Jon answered, his eyes finding their way back to his sister. Jace's eyes were already on her, taking her in. He felt like he was going to combust, being so close but unable to touch her.

She was wearing a different color than everyone else, black to their white. Her red hair stood out against her jersey, her spandex not doing much to hide her legs. Or ass. Jace moved his eyes back to her hair, a much safer object of his affection. She was smiling as she chatted with her friends, waiting for the other team to finish serving so they could.

Her eyes found his and he grinned. As much as he wanted to watch Her play he couldn't help but wish the game was over so they could be alone. Hopefully, as long as Jon gave them some space.

The two teams switched and they spent the remainder two minutes of the clock serving the balls over at each other. She rotated between passing the balls and serving herself. Not much has changed since the last time he had seen her play, meaning she was as flawless as usual.

The buzzer went off and they quickly rounded up the balls before meeting to break.

"Angels on three. One. Two. Three." Izzy's voice carried through the gym.

"Angels." Their hands going through the air as the team made their way to the end line to be introduced.

He couldn't help but notice that the student section was particularly loud when Izzy and her names were called. They cheered loudly as well.

And than they were running to the net to high five the other team. They rounded up in their last huddle before finding their positions. And than the game was off.

The other team served, hitting a quick ball straight to Clary who passed it effortlessly to their setter. Their setter back set it to Izzy who jumped high and swung fast. The ball smacked the ground feet in front of the nearest player.

And the game kept a similar rhythm the whole way through. They beat them soundly in three sets, ending the game with a back row hit from Clary to the corner. She could get up for such a little girl, and had some serious power.

They shook hands before walking off the court. Or the seniors at least. The underclassmen hurried to take down the net as the seniors met their families in the stands. Or the students in the student section.

Clary was making her way to them, climbing up the bleachers and past the other parents until she reached them. He held his hand out for her, pulling her towards his body. His head resting on her chest as she talked her mom and Luke, playing with his hair.

"Hey." She pushed his head back. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Perfect." He let her go, holding on to her hand instead as she talked to everyone.

Jon and her were laughing about something and he squeezed her hand tighter, trying to contain his affection for her. She only squeezed back, knowing, as always, exactly what he needed.

"We're going out after the game." Jocie, put her hand on Jace's shoulder. "Go home and change into something nicer."

Jace nodded, not wanting to let go of Clary's hand quite yet. He stood up nonetheless, and kissed her on the head as he and Jon made their way down the bleachers.

"I don't even know what clothes I have here." Jace commented as he climbed into the car.

Jon nodded. "Me neither man, but it's only olive garden so it's not like we have to dress up dress up."

"I'm just glad we're here to go to it." Jace commented.

Jon made a noise of agreement before turning up the music to fill the silence. They passed his street and turned down Jace's, pulling in his driveway. They shared a backyard, which was nice because their families were so close.

"I'll walk over when I'm done." Jace told Jon, climbing out of the car.

Jon nodded, backing out of the car. Jace carried his bag into the house, climbing up the stairs to his room. He hadn't left a whole lot, some pictures and some clothes. He supposed that was because he didn't have a whole lot to begin with.

Their were framed photos of Clary everywhere. And unframed. Some Polaroid ones. Drawings. And he lost track of time as he looked at them. He had brought his favorites to college but looking at them now he found that he had more favorites.

He had left a lot of the ones with the both of them in the picture in his room because he had always preferred the ones of just her. Looking at them now he decided that he had the wrong idea. He liked looking at the together. It just looked right.

He shook his head, deciding he'd look at them later and went to his closet. He found a pair of jeans and a black v-neck shirt. He had left much of his extensive shoe collection here so he picked out a random pair he wouldn't mind getting a little messy as he walked through their backyard.

As he was leaving Izzy came through the door, rushing upstairs. She yelled a hey to him as she went, not stopping for a hug. The shower water turned on from upstairs and he could hear her rushing to get ready for Clary's dinner.

As he was walking out the door his phone buzzed. It was his coach. Lifting was moved back a couple hours and conditioning was bumped until the next day. That meant they wouldn't have to leave until around 9 which meant longer time with Clary.

He pushed open their back door and made his way to the kitchen. He could hear the water running and he could only assume that Clary was showering. Jon was sitting at the island, scrolling on his phone.

"Did they all go there?" Jace asked, leaning against the granite.

Jon nodded. "The four of us are going to meet them there, they just wanted to make reservations."

Jace nodded, again hating the fact that he was so close to Clary but couldn't touch her. The water turned off and he waited a minute before making his way to the stairs.

"We have to leave soon." Jon reminded him. "And I'm right here."

Jace laughed, climbing the stairs two at a time. "Noted."

And than he was pushing her door open. She was standing in front of her closet in her underwear. He groaned, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She hummed, content.

Her hair was wet and smelled strongly of her. He ran his fingers through the curls, brushing them out. She always loved when he did it because they would be so much more controllable at a nice wave.

She turned around, lifting up on her toes to kiss him. He met her half way, one of his hands coming to cup her face. He couldn't let it get to our of control or he'd never be able to leave.

She pulled back, turning back around. "What should I wear?"

Jace rested his head on top of hers as he surveyed her closet. His eyes settled on his favorite romper. It was short and floral with a cut out in the back. He reached out grab it.

"I knew you would pick that one." She laughed as she took it from him.

He kissed her cheek, pulling back she could make her way into it. He groaned mentally at the sight of her putting her clothes on instead of taking them off.

But she looked beautiful with her hair hanging down her back. She leaned forward in front of the mirror to brush her eyelashes with mascara. She did something else to her eyes with a black marker and a gold brush before coating her lips in gloss.

Than she was slipping in to a pair sandals and grabbing a necklace from her dresser. It was a heart necklace. Given by yours truly that she rarely took off.

She walked towards to where he was sitting on her bed, handing him the necklace. They were almost the same height and he barely had to reach up to clasp the necklace.

"You look beautiful." He told her when he dropped her hair back down, kissing her shoulder. And his favorite freckle. "And I've really missed you." He rested his forehead against the freckle. "I love you."

She turned in his arms to wrap her around him, pushing him back on the bed. He let her, his arms wrapped tight around her. They lay there for a minute before they heard the door open and Izzy's heals hit the floor.

Clary sighed, kissing him one last time and rolling off him. He kept her hand in his, not letting her get very far.

"Come on Jace." She laughed. "Sooner we leave the sooner we get back. And the sooner we get back the sooner you can help me out of my dress."

He smiled, letting her drag him out of her room and back to the kitchen. Izzy was standing by Jon, her makeup done up again. She hugged Jace when she saw him, greeting him for the first time.

"Ready?" Jon asked, standing up from the island.

They all nodded and Jon wrapped his arm around Clary's shoulder as they went, hugging her to him as they talked. Izzy climbed into the front with Jon and Clary going Jace in the back. He laid across the seat with his head in her lap. She ran her finger through his hair, looking out the window as they went.

Jon pulled into the place ten minutes later and they all climbed out. They found their parents and Alec at a table near the front, looking over their menus.

"Perfect." Maryse announced smiling as she saw them. "We just sat down."

Izzy slid in next to Alec. Jace and Jon sitting on either side of Clary. The adults were on the other side with Max.

"How's the team looking?" Luke asked the boys once they were settled.

Jon shrugged, shuffling through the menu.

"I don't want to promise anything." Jace began. "Or make ourselves seem better then we are but I think it'll be a good year for us."

"As a team? Or you specifically?" Questioned Robert.

"Both." Jon answered, flipping the page. "Coach loves Jace and he knows my name so there's a start."

Jace rolled his eyes. "He doesn't love me. And he knows more than just your name." He turned back to Luke and Robert. "I'm sure you'll see quite a bit of us in the screen."

"And in person." Jocie cut in. "We'll be at your first home game."

That was in two weeks and Jace couldn't help but be excited that he'd get to spend another day with Clary.

"We're sure you guys will do great." Maryse smiled at the two and that was the last football was mentioned.

"And cute guys?" Izzy asked the boys.

Jace shrugged, looking at the menu. "All our friends are a bunch of athletes because that's all who is on campus so far."

"So yes?" Clary clarified.

"Not that it would matter to you one way or another." He looked at her. "But I guess."

She grabbed his hand under the table from where it was resting on her leg to intertwine their fingers.

"You've got to find me a guy." Izzy slumped back in Her seat. "High school boys are so immature."

Jon snorted. "College boys are even worse because they're supposed to be mature and they're not."

"Jace is mature. Alec is mature." She pointed out.

"Well Jace has Clary and Alec had always been that way." Jon shrugged.

"What does that mean, he has Clary?" She rolled her eyes.

"Well he doesn't want to fuck it up now does he?" He teased.

Jace shook his head. "No he does not."

Clary sighed, leaning into his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers.

"You okay?" He whispered.

She nodded. "Just miss you."

"I'm right here." He stroked her hand.

"Yeah." She snuggled further into his arm. "Too far away."

He laughed, pushing her hair out of her face. She had never been the affectionate one of the two and he enjoyed it.

"I love you, baby." He kissed her head.

"I love you." She mumbled back before lifting her head when the waitress arrived.

They all ordered and carried on a bunch of mini conversations through our the table. Jace's phone was buzzing in his pocket and he was to scared to look at it. They weren't allowed to leave campus without permission and if coach had found out there would be a price to pay.

He finally got it out to see that it was just another dude from the team. He answered it, excusing himself from the table.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Jace, Bat and I are outside yours and Jon's, where are you?"

Jace hesitated, looking back at everyone. "We're not there right now, we'll see you tomorrow?"

"Dude, there's the party tonight."

Jace rolled his eyes. "It's a Wednesday night. We already told you we weren't going."

"You never go anyways, you're always to busy moping."

Jace sighed. "We'll see ya tomorrow dude, okay?"

"Okay man, let us know when you change your mind."

"Alright." And than Jace hung up, sliding back into his seat.

"It was Jordan." He told Jon's questioning eyes. "Party tonight."

Jon rolled his eyes. "It's Wednesday. And up until an hour ago we though we had early practice."

"I didn't tell him where we are though, I wouldn't be surprised if he called you sooner or later."

"I guess I just won't answer."

Jace grinned over at him before turning back to Clary who was talking to Max from across the table. Max was grinning really goofy at her as she laughed. Jace could not help but grin himself, their relationship was something he would never understand but it made him happy anyways. She always took him to by manga and to the book store down the road from their house. They went to all the Marvel movies with Simon together and he knew that Max had quiet the crush on her. He was the only one Jace would let get away with it.

The waitress came back with their appetizers, setting the mozzarella sticks and onion rings in the middle of the table for refilling the bread-sticks. Clary reached right across the table to snag a mozzarella stick. They were her favorite thing and everyone knew not to get in the way of them. He grabbed a couple onion rings and his right hand found purchase on Clary's thigh. He could not sit this close to her and not touch her, it just was not possible.

"How's practice been?" She asked him, taking a bite out of her mozzarella stick.

"It's okay." He shrugged. "It distracts me from missing you so I don't mind all that much."

She rolled her eyes.

"What about your teammates, have you met a lot of people?"

He shrugged again, if he was being honest the only reason he had met people on the team was with Jon. He was always to busy with his aching heart and his brooding face to make friends himself.

Jon cut through the conversation. "He has, but only because of me. Jace misses you too much to smile most days, everyone is to intimidated by him."

Jace sent him a glare over her head. Clary only rolled her eyes, her hand coming to rest on top of his as she talked to Jon. He ate his last onion ring, his heart starting to ache again at the prospect of leaving tomorrow. He had half a mind to just drop out and spend the rest of his days trailing Clary like the love-sick puppy he knew he was. But she deserved more than that so he would suffer through the pain of missing her and reap the rewards later in life.

Jon's next question grabbed his attention and cut through his revive. "Figure out where you are going next year yet?"

Jace grabbed his water, hoping to stay casual. It was a question he always stayed clear of. She had let him make the decision for himself and he would be damned if he did not do the same in return.

"Cleveland Institute of Art is definitely out now." She squeezed his hand. "So it's between OSU and NYU now."

"Leaning one way or another?" Jon asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"No, they both have their perks." She shrugged. "I'm not really worried, if I'm being honest. I've been accepted to both, have about equal scholarships to both, and a potential roommate for both. It is purely what I want at this point."

Jon nodded and Jace let out a breath. He had never been to fond of the idea of her going to CIA, they wold be in this exact position the next year. Obviously he wanted her with him at OSU, but he knew she would be very happy at NYU. It is probably where she would be happiest.

Before anything else could be said among them, food was being place in front of them. Jace stared at his plate of pasta, not as hungry as he had been before.

"Baby." Clary was looking at him as he spun a piece around on his fork. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, taking a bite. He still had her for a couple more hours and he wanted to make the most of it.

"Yeah." He leaned over to kiss her temple. "Happy birthday baby."

She smiled at him before leaning over to join the conversation again. He did too, chiming in when necessary but mostly counting down the time till they could leave.

After she ate the cake they brought out for her they were on their way, the kids heading to the Fray's, and the parents plus Max to the Lightwood's for drinks and bed.

Jace kept a firm hold of Clary's hand on the way, catching up with Alec as they went.

"Are you ready to be back?" Jace asked him. He was going for his third year at Columbia University.

"So ready." Alec nodded. "Ever since you guys went back and the girls started school I've been so bored. And it's a lot harder not to miss Magnus when there's no one to distract me."

Jace nodded, he felt what Alec was feeling everyday. "I know man. Long distance is the worst thing ever."

Alec nodded. "And it gets worse to man."

Jace arched an eyebrow.

"Just wait until you need her for something. It's one thing to want her, it's another thing to need her. And than when she needs you and you can't be there, it's even worse."

Jace groaned, running his hand through his hair. "I can barely stand it now, I think if it got any worse my heart would just split."

Alec nodded, knowing the exact feeling that Jace was referring to. Luckily he didn't have to say anything as they pulled into the familiar driveway.

"Want to go for a swim?" Izzy asked them, a smile on her face. Night swims were their thing, since they all snuck out when they were kids to the night before Alec left the first time and than when the boys left.

It was probably the first time Jace didn't actually want to night swim. All he wanted was Clary and some space. But she seemed excited and he remembered how selfish he was being, Jon missed her too, and Clary missed him in turn. Izzy probably missed them as well, Alec too. He'd just have to wait a little while longer.

So instead they change into the suits they had lying around, so much of their stuff was at with at either house. Jace could probably live at least a week there before he had to go home, Izzy probably longer.

The boys made it out first, jumping into the pool. The water was heated and soothed Jace's muscles. Tense from football and holding back these past couple of hours.

Her laughter reached his ears and he turned on instinct. The water did little to tense his muscles now. She was wearing his favorite bikini, complimented by his favorite smile. It was blue and stringy, doing little to hide the curves he hasn't seen in a month. The clover tattoo her and her brother shared was prominent on her hip. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. His hands ached to pull the band out.

She walked down the stairs in the shallow end and swam to where they were wading in the water.

His arms reached out instinctively for her. He could barely touch and keep his head a float, there'd be no way she could. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his shoulders. She felt so good pressed against him.

"Hey." He whispered, smiling, happy to have her in his arms.

She smiled back. "Hi." And than she was kissing him. He held her tighter, letting her take the lead. She was always hesitant to do stuff around Jon, knowing she wouldn't like it if he made out with her best friend in front of him.

She pulled away after a few seconds, choosing instead to run her fingers through his hair as she smiled down at him. He buried his head in the crook of her shoulder, breathing in her familiar scent. He was so content in the moment, his girl back in his arms, his two best friends around him, and his sister wading around them.

"You seriously don't have a single cute friend?" Izzy was asking, exasperatedly. Jace shifted his head so he could see her.

Jon rolled his eyes. "They're all assholes. They're playing football at the biggest D1 college in the state, their egos need some taming."

Clary looked down at him, he, of course, was already looking up at her. "Does your ego need taming?"

He shook his head. "It got tamed a long time ago." His hands ran up and down her back, keeping her as close as he could.

"Good." She smiled down at him. "I would hate to have to find a new boyfriend."

"Me too." He ran his thumb across her cheek. "I think I would die."

She hummed, learning into his hand. "I love you."

He leaned into kiss her softly. "I love you more."

She grinned into his mouth, tightening her arms. "I love you most."

He only shook his head. "Not possible, I am afraid."

"I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree." She nudged his nose with her own.

His heart ached with his love for her in that moment. Her in her barely there bikini, wrapped around him, her skin pressed deliciously against him. Her heart beating against her chest. He felt happy for the first time since the last time he had seen her.

"Clary?" Izzy's voice prompted Clary to turn away from him, some of her skin lifting from against his. He felt a coldness in the warm water, not wanting to be apart from her any more than he had to. "Can you come here?" She was grinning about something.

She nodded, making to let go of him.

"No." He whined, bringing her closer. "It's cold."

She laughed, kissing him. "I'll be back in a minute, you big baby."

He scowled, not at the name, but at her leaving him. His skin instantly became cold, getting worse the further she swam from him.

"You sicken me." Jon rolled his eyes at him. Jace arched an eyebrow. "She's literally going to be right back."

Jace glared at him. "You just wait, man. And than I'm going to laugh at your pain."

"Honestly, I don't think I will ever love someone the way you love her." Jon lifted a shoulder. "I don't think it is possible."

Jace let his head fall back on the pool ledge. "Sometime I wonder if it would be easier if I had never met her in the first place but the thought scares me to much to dive much deeper into it."

"How do you mean?" Alec asked, his eyebrow crooked on his forehead.

"I mean, I know what it feels like to be with her and it is ten times any other feeling, and I never want to give it up. Loving her is the best thing to ever happen to me, besides her loving me back."

Jon let out a groan. "Gag with me a spoon."

Jace lept at him, his arm wrapping around his neck as he tried to dunk him. Jon fought back, not wanting to get dunked. Their laughter was loud as Alec joined in to help Jon fight off Jace. And than suddenly there were two people forcing Jace's head under the water. Repeatedly. Until he was able to throw one off and launch himself at the other, tackling him under the water.

Small hands pushed on him. Hands that he recognized and let push him under after her brother. She climbed onto his back, holding him under as he was forced to release Jon.

He came back up, his arm bending behind him to grab her. "What was that?" He asked, a smile on his face. "You're supposed to be on my side."

She only grinned at him, reaching around to fist bump Jon. "Bros before Hoes."

His mouth dropped open, slinging her around so she was again resting on his chest. "Did you just call me a hoe?"

She laughed as his hands found her sides, trying her hardest to get away from him. Her laughter was loud in the air, her hands pushing as hard as they could at his shoulders.

"Jon. Jon!" She yelled, trying to get away. "Help!"

But Jon only grinned, his hands finding her too, until she was able to land a kick to his stomach and break away, making a mad dash to the shallow end of the pool. Jace reached for her ankle and missed, forcing him to have to swim after her.

She was laughing as she swam, trying to keep her feet out of their reach. Jace caught one, standing and pulling her back to him. She turned on to her back as he dragged her back, pulling her up in his arms. He kissed her, apologizing for tickling her. She let him kiss her, her hand coming to tangle in his now wet hair. He pulled her hair out of the ponytail, it was already wet, and tangled his own fingers in it.

Their kiss lasted longer than a few seconds, she was to caught up in him to care that her brother was a couple feet away, having a splash fight with Izzy and Alec. Her arms tightened around his neck as he began walking towards the stairs. He sat down on one, leaning back and letting her kiss him. His mind went numb, his heart beat fast and his brain turned to mush. All his thoughts evaporated as she moved over him, her stomach pressed against him. Her mouth left his and he used it an excuse to trail his kisses down her neck, stopping to kiss her underneath her ear where he knew she loved to be kissed.

Her sighs and gasps were music to his ears. He had missed them since he left. Her nails lightly scratching at his scalp made his heart beat quicken painfully. His trunks were getting tighter and tighter against him until he could not take it any more, all of her pressed up against all of him.

"Babe." He moved up from her neck and to her ear, his voice breathless. "I need you."

She kissed his lips once more before siding off of him and stepping out of the pool. The other three were sitting on the edge of the pool, talking. Izzy grinned at them as they dried off.

"Have fun!" She called, winking at the two.

Clary showed her her middle finger, though there was a grin on her face.

"And keep quiet." Jon yelled, his voice serious.

"No promises." Jace called back before closing the door as they walked into the house. Their skin instantly prickled as they met the cool AC.

"Jace." She hit his stomach. "Don't be gross."

He grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips. "If you were anyone else he would have been cheering too."

Her eyebrows rose. "Anyone else, huh?"

He grinned, leaning down to kiss her. "Guess he'll just have to learn to deal with it I guess."

"He better." She broke the kiss to lead him up the stairs and to her room. "Because you're mine."

"I'm yours." He connected their lips again, lifting her up, as he walked into her room and kicked the door shut. Than locking it.

He laid her underneath him on her bed. "All of me is yours. My heart. My mind. My thoughts. My body. All of it."

She smiled up at him, pulling him on top of him, silencing him.

"And all of me is yours." She whispered against him. "My love. My soul. My body. My everything."

"God I've missed you." His hands crept down her familiar curves. "Have you missed me?"

She let out a moan as his hands found the stings to her tops. "Yes, so much."

"God, I love you." His hands slid lower, tugging at her bottoms. "Do you love me?"

A noise was ripped from her mouth. "Yes."

"Say it." He breathed. His hand taking place of the bottoms he had untied.

"I love you." She gasped out, her back arching, giving him more access to her neck

A noise was ripped out of his own throat as a hand grabbed the back of his hair, pulling.

"Clary." He breathed, the only thought left in his head. "Clary."

His lips met hers again, their hips doing the same.

Her eyes were closed, her mouth open. Her feet dragged his bottoms down, allowing him to feel all of her. He groaned, his head dropping once again to her neck. She wrapped herself around him, gasping as he moved against her. She felt so good underneath him, around him.

His name fell from her lips, prompting him to move faster. Her name dropped from his own lips, the only noises in the room. The only thoughts in his mind. Until with one last movement his muscles and body released for the first time in a month. He felt like he was home finally, with her now laying on top of him, his hands in her hair, her hand over his heart.

"Come on." She made to sit up. "Shower with me before they get back."

He sighed, following her. As he watched her cross her room to the bathroom that connected her and Jon's room he did not find it very hard to get up. When they were both clean and happy, she pulled on one of his t-shirt he had stolen and climbed back in bed. He unlocked the door, not wanting her parents to get suspicious. They had been having sleepovers since they were ten. He flicked the light off, the fan on, before slipping in next to Clary, a clean pair of boxers adorning his lower half.

His arms circled her body, pulling her against him.

"When are you leaving tomorrow?" She asked, pulling up her alarm app on her phone.

"Around 9." He grabbed his own phone from her night stand. There were a couple missed calls from some of the guys, as well as some texts, but he could not find it in himself to care to much. Luckily he had lost all his streaks when he went to college, besides the one with Clary because he snapchatted her everyday anyways, so he did not have to worry about sending them.

Clary still had hers, all thirty of them, which was just too much if you asked him. She opened the app, taking a picture of the two of them to send. His lips were attached to her cheek, though they were smiling. She sent them to all her streaks, opening theirs in turn before putting her phone away.

"When do you have to get up in the morning?" He asked, resting his cheek on hers.

"I set my alarm for 8, we can eat breakfast before you go."

"Babe, you have school at 7:30."

"I'll leave when you leave." She held his hands with her own.

"Okay." He breathed out. "I love you."

She turned to kiss him on the cheek, holding her lips on his cheek. "I love you."

And then her breathing evened out, her heart beat slow and steady against his chest. His soon followed, a smile on his face as he did. When her parents came home twenty minutes later they could not even find it within themselves to kick him out, it was a school night after all. They had seen how miserable she had been when she woke up in the morning to a text from Jace and not the real thing. And when Jon called her to wish her a happy birthday instead of jumping on her bed like he normally did. But she was lying peacefully in his arms now, a smile on both of their faces. A smile that prompted Jocelyn to close the door instead of wake him up and climb into bed with her own love. Her daughter was happy for the first time in three weeks and that was enough for her.

* * *

xoxo- i'm back lol. it didn't take me the full year, just almost! let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Jon was worried about Jace. After seeing Clary for her birthday he had been fine for a couple weeks. Their parents and Max had come down to watch them play but her and Izzy had a game added to their schedule that they couldn't miss so had not gotten to see her like he thought he would. He wasn't Clary happy but he was happy for him, the guys saw his smile for the first time and genuinely got to know him.

But than she had gone to homecoming and it had torn Jace apart. She was homecoming queen, as expected, and had gone with her homecoming partner to the dance. Well, they were in a giant group but it had drove Jace mad.

He trusted Clary, one hundred percent no questions asked, it was more of the fact that the kid had been able to go. That Jace could not have been there for her. He was a mess when she had texted him the night of. They were on their way back from a game in Oklahoma and despite the fact that Jace had scored his first touchdown as a college athlete, he had been so upset.

She had been rather quiet the whole day and night, preparing for homecoming and spending time with friends and Jace had been really worried that she was upset or mad at him. Jon was just thankful she called him to wish him luck like she normally did before games because he honestly didn't think Jace would have been okay enough to play.

Granted, the call had been short but it proved that she wasn't mad at him, just busy, not that either one of them really believed that. The two had found out later that the call had been so short because she had been about to cry and she didn't want Jace to hear that. Jace had spent five hours with her on FaceTime when they got back to the dorm instead of going out with everyone, which he had begun to do.

She had sent him pictures of her in her dress and with the crown and receiving the crown at the previous day's football game. And Jace had been really happy during the call, getting to listen to her talk even if he hadn't been able to experience it himself. After she hung up had been when his mood had gone down and had not come back up.

Missing something that was so important to her had wrecked him. Being the reason for her tears and not being able to comfort her had wrecked him. Everything about not being with her had hit him in the face that night and the good mood he had for the month or so since they had gotten to see her had vanished.

And it had only gotten worse when her team had lost the state semis. She had called him when they had made it back to their locker room, very close to sobbing. Their moms had been keeping them up with the game which was good because she was crying so hard you couldn't even understand her. Jace had wanted nothing more than to drive the two hours to hold her. It was already ten at night and they had a six am practice the next day. It had still took a lot of convincing on Jon's part to stop him from going after she had hung up saying she'd call them when she got home.

When she had called them later she was no longer crying, even laughed a little, and Jace seemed a little more happy at that. But when she had fallen asleep on them only fifteen minutes after the call Jace became a little more worried. Anytime Clary cried a lot she always went to bed quickly and to Jace that meant that after she had hung up with him the first time she had cried a lot more and he had not been there to comfort her. Yet another thing he had missed.

All their friends were worried. He was not eating properly or sleeping properly, the only times Jon saw him smile were with him and when he was talking to Clary. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they were best friends, him and Jace, even now and especially now that he was dating Clary.

It had been a long time since Jace had chose to hang with Jon over Clary, but it had been along time since him and Jace had been apart and Jon knew that if it were the other way around, although significantly less, Jace would miss him too. And Jon would miss him, he couldn't imagine not being with Jace constantly. even though he was moody and an asshole sometimes, he was family. And family didn't let family hurt the way he was hurting now.

"Jace!" He called through the dorm room, Clary trailing behind him. There was no answer. He peeked his head around the wall to see him passed out on his pillow, his school work surrounding him, his phone clutched in his hand, waiting for Clary's call.

He grinned, letting Clary wake him up. It was Thanksgiving break for her starting the next day and she had convinced mom to come down and see them before she went home to celebrate Thanksgiving. And had wanted to surprise Jace.

Jace felt hands on his chest, pushing lightly at him. The hands were small and familiar. They were Clary's. And the smell that reached his nose was hers too. It smelled like roses and vanilla and home. It smelled of happiness and smiles and love.

He didn't want to wake up. It had been so long since he had been able to smell her so distinctly. It had been so long since she had touched him and he had touched her. It had been too long since he had felt at home.

"Baby." A hand caressed his face. And Jace found that he suddenly didn't want it to be a dream after all, not when the real thing could be in front of him. He was to scared to open his eyes, he didn't want the room to be empty.

"Wake up." Her voice prompted him, her fingers running through his hair.

He felt himself subconsciously lean into them, willing them to actually be there. His mouth was able to open before his eyes could.

"Please tell me this isn't a dream." He muttered, willing it to be real.

He heard her laugh clearly above him, her other hand coming up to run her thumb across his cheek.

"Jace, open your eyes."

"But what if you're not here?"

He felt her lips on his, soft and fleeting. "Only one way to find out." Her voice was just as soft.

His eyes fluttered open after that, taking in her smiling face above him. Her fingers were still tangled in his hair, her other hand moving to grab his hand. He didn't let her, instead wrapping both his arms around her body and hugging her as close to his body as he could.

"Clary." He breathed out, his brain finally catching up to his heart and body.

She bunched a corner of his sweatshirt in her hand, hugging him just as tight. Jace wondered briefly if Jon was still in there but than decided he didn't care. She felt perfect in his arms, just as soft and lovely as the last time.

"Clary." He breathed again before rolling a little so he could look at her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Happy Thanksgiving." She shrugged, leaning up to kiss him again. He met her this time, his hand cupping the back of her neck. She felt so good. He felt so good.

He didn't have as much time as would have liked with her in his arms like that as she turned them to Jon who was looking at his phone, a headphone in his ear. Jace picked up the nearest pillow and chucked it at him.

He jerked up when it hit him, pulling the bud out. "What was that for?" He cried incredulously.

"A little warning next time." He said, motioning to the state of his bed. His homework was every where, on the ground and shoved to the side.

Jon glared, putting the ear bud back in his ear. Jace turned back to an amused Clary who was resting her head on his shoulder.

"Tired?" He asked her, kissing her head.

She nodded. "Long drive."

"Go to sleep." He shifted them so they would be more comfortable. "We'll talk when you wake up."

She nodded, her head becoming heavier on him as she drifted slowly, becoming completely at his mercy. He watched her for some time, taking in her eye bags and pale skin. She looked exhausted. He didn't need to wake her up or move for sometime. Jon and him had finished practice for the day and got to sleep in the next day as it was Wednesday.

It also meant that the guys were planning on getting drunk tonight. He hadn't really been planning on it but he knew Clary would probably enjoy it. And he really wanted his friends to meet her, they were constantly teasing him that she didn't actually exist as no girl could be as perfect as he described. He was ready to prove them wrong.

Jace looked over at Jon who had his own eyes closed, his chest rising and falling every so often. He couldn't help but feel thankful for the guy, not only did he put up with all of Jace's sadness and shit but he did something about it. Clary was laying in his arms now and Jace couldn't think of a better was to spend his time. His best friend and his girlfriend.

His own eyes were getting heavy and beginning to stay closed for longer as he blinked. Clary shifted in her sleep, her leg coming to rest in between his. He felt so peaceful and warm wrapped up with her that it didn't take long for him to completely drift off.

* * *

Jace's eyes flew open. Clary was still passed out on him, their legs and fingers intertwined. Jon was making his way to the door so that he would hopefully punch the person who was pounding on their door. Jace let out a great of relief when he realized that's why he woken up, not because anything bad was happening. Clary was still sleeping soundly like she hadn't even heard the knocking.

"Shut up." Jon's voice reached his ears from the door, there was no real bite to his words. "My sister's sleeping."

"She's here?" Came a confused voice that Jace couldn't quite place. He was still trying to wake up.

"Yeah, she got here a couple hours ago."

A couple hours? How long had they been asleep for. He looked towards the microwave to make out the time. It was 6:20. She had gotten here around 4:30.

"Is she joining us tonight? Are you coming tonight?"

"Probably." Jace could practically hear his shrug. "We haven't asked her yet but she's normally down."

"Alright, Bat's getting the alcohol now, what do you guys want?"

Jon lead him Jordan in the room, walking to his bed to grab their money. Jace nodded to him when Jordan caught sight of him.

"So this is Clary." He was grinning down at Jace.

Jace nodded. "Yeah, now be quiet."

Jordan shook his head, walking closer to Jon.

"I want two four Lokos. Frost. Jace?"

"Just half a case of beer."

"What does Clary want?" Jordan asked, typing it out in his phone.

Jon looked towards Jace, he knew her drink order better than him.

"Parrot Bay." Jace shrugged. "I don't know, just get her a mango Parrot Bay and than she can share with us."

Jordan nodded. "Wait." Jon stopped him. "Just get her two strawberry lemonade Mike harders. I don't feel like mixing anything."

Jace only nodded, she liked them about the same. Jon handed Jordan a 20, enough to cover the drinks and as a thanks to whoever was taking Bat to get the drinks since everyone was under 21.

Clary moved in his arms, her head rolling a little. Jace watched her, torn between wanting to talk to her and wanting her to rest. As her eyes began to move under her eyelids he decided he wanted to talk to her, he did not have a whole lot of time with her.

"Hey sleepyhead." He kissed her cheek, prompting her eyes to open fully and her emerald eyes to focus on him. Her face broke into a grin and she leaned up to kiss him.

"Hi." She pulled back, making to sit up.

He squeezed her tighter, not wanting her to go.

"Babe, I gotta pee." She laughed, trying to slip out of his arms.

He sighed, pulling her down for another kiss before he let her go. As she climbed out of bed she caught sight of Jordan who was looking at her with a grin. She gave him a small smile back and opened the door to their bathroom and slipping inside.

"She's cute."

Jace threw a pillow at him, burying his face in the pillow her head had been resting on and breathing in the scent she had left. He hoped it would stay after she left, but than again he think he would go mad if he could smell her in his sleep and than wake up and her not be there.

"She's also mine." Jace mumbled back at him, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"What?" Jordan laughed.

Jace moved his head so he could hear his voice. "She's also mine."

Jordan laughed. "Doesn't mean she's any less cute."

Jace glared at him. "Don't you have to go give Bat our money."

Jordan shrugged, a one sided smile now on his face. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You coming Jon? Leave the lovebirds alone."

Jon made a face at that but nodded anyways. "Sure, I'm sure I'd see something I don't want to if I stay much longer."

Clary stepped out of the bathroom, oblivious to the three boys, as she washed her hands. Jordan was making crude hand signals at the two, Jon torn between amusement and disgust. Jace chucked another pillow at him, climbing out of bed fully to clean up all the homework that remained on his bed and that had fallen off.

"We'll see ya later. Nice to meet you Clary." Jordan said as the two left the room.

"You too." She gave him another smile as she dried her hands. "Bye Jonny."

Jordan stopped as he opened the door, turning with a large grin to Jon.

"Shut up." Jon shoved him out the door. "Bye Clare-bear." He called back over his shoulder.

Jace shook his head, putting the work back in his backpack and remaking his bed as Clary walked around the room. Their beds were at opposite ends of the room, their head boards on opposite walls so that they could still see each other. Their desks were at the ends of their bed, the back of them leaning against the foot boards. jon's side was rather messy, his clothes draped across his desk and on the floor around his bad. His clear containers filled with food and other things stacked next to his bed, a picture of the three of them framed on top. It was his only picture.

Jace's side was pristine as always as he sat on his now made bed. His white sheets were crisp and clean, his pillows back at the top. His clothes all in the hamper in the closet and his desk practically empty. His containers were all pushed in and organized inside. Unlike Jon he had several pictures as he liked to look at them when he missed Clary. There were two on top of his containers that she picked up. One was just her, a picture he had taken as she wore his practice jersey over one of his hoodies, a pair of his two big sweatpants rolled up her legs. She was sitting cross legged on his bed, a huge grin on her face, smiling up at him, her arms in her lap. Her head was almost completely back as he was standing almost directly over her. Her hair hung messily around her shoulders and she looked so fucking adorable and cuddly in the picture that it made his stomach hurt.

The other was the two of them during a vacation their two families had taken together. Izzy had taken it. Clary was in her bikini, her hair soaking wet and curly, sitting between his two bent legs. Her back was against his chest, his arms wrapped tight around her, elbows on his knees, as the smiled widely at the camera. She looked so good in his arms that he couldn't help it as he grabbed her before she could look at the other pictures he had and sat her between his legs. She set the picture of her back on the containers but kept the one of the two in her hands.

"I love you." He leaned against the wall, tightening his arms around her.

"I love you, too." She sniffed, a pang going through his heart.

"Why are you crying?" He buried his face in her hair, squeezing her even tighter.

She hugged his arms with hers, tilting her head so his head fell further down.

"You just make me really happy." She set the picture down. "And you're just the sweetest."

He kissed her neck, his lips lingering. "I like to see your face first when I wake up."

She turned in his arms, sitting on her knees as she looked at him. Tears were running down her face now. He wiped them away with his hands as she leaned down to kiss him. He held her face as she kissed him softly, her arms winding around his neck.

His body relaxed as she kissed him, fitting her body tightly against him as she slanted her lips. His hand slipped underneath her sweatshirt and instead of meeting her skin like he normally did his hand met her t-shirt. He made to slide his hand under that too but she pulled back suddenly, a large grin on her face as she climbed off the bed.

"Babe?" He sat up, no longer leaning against the wall.

She pulled the hoodie over her head, keeping her t-shirt on still. It was an OSU t-shirt that read class of 2022. A t-shirt that future OSU students get.

"Please tell me this is what I think it means." He practically begged her, sliding off the bed.

"You're looking at a future Buckeye."

And than he was wrapping his arms around her and picking her off the ground. Somewhere deep deep deep down he felt a little guilty that she had passed on going to her dream school for him but mostly he just felt excitement. She was laughing as he spun her, her arms and legs wrapping tightly around him.

"Thank God." He looked up at her smiling face. "Thank God."

This meant that he would be seeing his girlfriend everyday. And that he would get to fall asleep next to her. And than his junior year he would get to live with her and Jon in an apartment. And that he would never have to go without her again. And that he would get to see her actual face when he woke up and not just her picture.

"I like NYU." She said as she looked down at him. "But I am in love with you. And don't think I can ever do this again. OSU is exactly where I'm supposed to be."

"I love you." He leaned up to kiss her, much harder than their previous kisses had been. "I love you." He set her back down on the bed. "I love you so much."

She pushed his hair out of his face with her fingers, running her hand down the side of his face. His eyes closed, leaning into her touch.

His lips met her once again, kissing her with everything in him. Her hand tugged at the bottom of his curls as he raked his teeth against her bottom lip. He went to lift her shirt off, too, wanting to touch every inch of her but her hands stopped him. "Babe, I'm on my period."

He groaned, his head dropping to kiss her neck, his hand grabbing hers instead and intertwining their fingers. "I just love you so much."

"I know, I love you too." Her hand ran through his hair. "It's my last day, though. I'm all yours tomorrow."

That brought his head back up, his finger going to trace her cheek. "How long are you stay till?"

"I have to back for Thanksgiving dinner at 6. So like noon probably, I have to help get ready."

He kissed her quickly, sliding off of her. His pants were already uncomfortably tight and he didn't want to make it worse. She stopped him, her hand slipping under his shirt to rest on his stomach, pushing him on to his back.

"I'm on my period, not you." She said as she kissed him.

He shook his head, groaning as her hand slipped past the elastic on pants.

"That's not fair-" He gasped as she made contact. "Not fair to you."

She smiled against his lips. "I love you."

And than her lips left his to replace the hand she removed. One of his hands wound their way through her hair, the other griped the sheets next to him. His underwear were pulled past his hips as her lips met the most sensitive part of him.

"Clary." He moaned, his head falling back on the pillow behind his head, his eyes staying on hers. She looked up him with her gorgeous eyes as she moved her head up and down. It didn't take long for his release, his eyes slamming shut as his body exploded almost painfully. And than she was fixing his underwear and getting off from the bed. His head was spinning and he couldn't think straight.

Her lips met his again, tasting like the mouthwash at the sink, and his eyes slowly opened. She was hovering over him, her hair like a curtain around the two.

"I love you." He held the back of her head as he kissed her, his voice rather breathless. "And I'm going to make you feel so good tomorrow."

She smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Looking forward to it."

And than she was pulling away and grabbing the picture of the two of them that was still sitting on the bed. She placed it back where it belonged.

"Look at my desk." He told her, sitting up and grabbing her hand. "Those two are just my favorites."

She smiled, letting him lead her around his bed. There were several pictures taped in the corner of the back, all of her. She really liked taking pictures of him and somewhere along the way he had found that he loved doing the same. There were several of her across the table at restaurants, and sleeping in his bed in his clothes, and some of her in her blue beanie that he loved so much, and her peeking out of the pool with her arms crossed on the ledge, and of her drawing or painting. On top of the overhang part of the desk was one more picture frame with two pictures. In the first picture was selfie he had taken when they were watching movies in bed one day, laughing at something. The other one was a picture of him dipping her at Prom and kissing her, well him kissing her smile he should say.

"You're such a sap." She wrapped her arm around him. "I didn't even know you had these." She pointed at the pictures of her drawing.

"You always look so gorgeous when you paint." He shrugged, wrapping his arm around her. "Or draw, or sketch, or talk, or eat, or breath, or anything really. I just can't resist."

She picked up her phone from where it was sitting on his desk next to her bag, leading him back to the bed. He sat on the bed, pulling her to him. Instead of cuddling with him like he thought she had wanted, she sat so her knees were between his legs. He looked up at her confused.

"Smile." She smiled down at her as she raised her phone up. "I want a snapchat of my cute boy."

He rolled his eyes but did as he was told. His hands grabbed her waist and he smiled up at her. She reached out to fix his hoodie and than sat down on her feet to look at the picture. She added some hearts and a caption that read, missed my cute boy, and she put it on her story. Than she was laying on his chest, looking up at him.

"You're not going to let me take one of you?" He asked, grabbing his own phone.

"Jace, I look like shit." She looked down at her t-shirt and leggings.

"And I don't?" He motioned to his hoodie and sweats.

She rolled her eyes. "You're quite possibly the most gorgeous being on this planet."

He smiled up at her. "Not possible, I'm afraid. Second, maybe, to you."

She shook her head but was smiling.

"It's not for snapchat, it's just for me." He begged, sticking out his lower lip.

She conceded resting her head on her arm, tilting it to the side, and smiling. He smiled as he took several picture, his hand coming to tangle in her curls in some.

"You're really fucking adorable." He put his phone down, leaning to kiss her nose. "Did you know that?'

"And you're really sweet." She grabbed his hand with the one she wasn't leaning on.

"How was your day?" He asked her, brushing through her curls with her fingers.

"Good, senioritis is real though."

He nodded, he had experienced it too. The only reason he didn't miss too many days was because he knew she couldn't. Junior year sucked and he wanted to make it as easy as possible for her.

"You're like a quarter of the way there."

"I know." She nodded. "And you've got like a month left of football and than guess who will be visiting like every weekend."

"You." He smiled at her. "But I can't let you do that. I have to pull my own weight too."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "I thought you still had workouts and stuff."

He shrugged. "Not every weekend, and it's all flexible. I can do more during the week so I can have more of my weekends."

She shook her head but she was still smiling. "I want to see you every other weekend when I can. I just miss you a lot."

"Trust me babe, if I had it my way I would be seeing you every single day."

"Me too." She tilted her head again so it laid down on her arm, her eyes closing.

"At least I have you for the next few days." He lifted their intertwined hands to kiss hers.

"Happy Thanksgiving." She squeezed his hand, her eyes still closed.

"When will I be seeing you next?" He asked her, placing their hands over his heart.

She shrugged. "Probably Christmas break, so in a couple weeks. Depends how far you guys go. We're planning on coming to the championship if you guys make it."

He raised an eyebrow. "In Georgia?"

She nodded. "They figure that they're saving so much money with not paying for your guys' tuition that they can splurge a little. And Jon got all of us free tickets so all we have to pay for is the plane ticket and the hotel."

"How did I not know this was being talked about?"

"You don't call your family a whole lot. And I normally talk to Jon about serious stuff when you're not there because you are to distracting." She leaned in for another kiss as if to prove her point.

Before either one of them could say anything else there was a knock on the door, followed by the sound of the nob turning.

"You guys decent?" Came Jon's voice from the doorway, not willing to walk anymore into the room.

"Yeah." Clary yelled, sitting up.

Jace stayed where he was propped up on the pillows, their hands still intertwined.

"They've already started whenever you're ready to join them."

"Join them for what?" Clary asked, climbing out of the bed.

"We're drinking with some friends tonight." Jon answered, swapping his hoodie for a t-shirt. "And we got you some Mike Harders if you want to come."

She nodded. "Yeah sounds fun, I want to meet everybody."

Jon smiled at her. "Good, we're ready whenever you want to come over."

She nodded, watching as he walked out of the room.

"You ready?" Jace asked, sitting up.

"Yeah, just let me fix my hair and makeup."

He rolled his eyes as he watched her brush her fingers through her hair and wiping at the bottom of her eyes. She already looked perfect. She walked to her bag and put some chapstick on her lips before grabbing a sweater out of her bad. It was black and hung off her shoulders, revealing the thick straps of her blue lacy bralette that she changed into. It was one of his favorite sweaters of hers because it was soft and he loved hugging her even more when she wore it. She was wearing fuzzy socks that covered the bottoms of her leggings and she slipped her feet into a pair of white crocs. She was obsessed with her crocs and wore them every chance she got.

"You're so cute." He wrapped his arms around her when she was ready, her sweater soft against him.

She kissed him once more before walking to the door. He slid his feet into his slides before grabbing her hand and leading him down the hall to Jordan and Bat's room. Music was playing from the inside, louder than normal. Almost everyone had already gone home for break, the athletes still stuck here for their big game.

He knocked, smiling over at Clary. He was so ready to introduce her to everybody. "I love you." She smiled back at him, squeezing his hand.

The door opened to reveal a smiling Jordan. "Jace, Clary! How nice of you to join us."

Jace smiled, following him into the room. Their beds were lofted, their desks and dressers shoved under them. There was a futon and some bean bags, all with large football players sitting on. Jordan sat back down on his desk chair as Jace went to the desk where all their alcohol was laid out. He opened the fridge and piled some of his beer and Clary's other Mikes in it so that they would be colder. Clary opened his beer for him as well as her Mikes.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Bat asked from the futon. Jace turned, his beer halfway to his lips to see all his friends looking at the two of them.

"Yeah." Came Sebastian's voice. "We only hear about her everyday."

Jace rolled his eyes, grabbing Clary's hand to guide her to the open seat on the futon. He sat down next to Will, Clary sitting on his lap. Everyone was still staring at them as Jace took a drink from his beer.

"This is my girlfriend Clary." "And my sister" Jon cut in helpfully from where he sat on the floor. "Clary, this is the team."

She smiled at them all, taking a drink from her lemonade.

"It's nice to meet you Clary." Will said from where he saw next to Jace. "You're all this dude talks about."

She wrapped her arm around his neck, turning slightly so she could look at him. "That's what everyone keeps saying."

"Well it's true." Will said with a shrug, taking a swig from his own beer. "We were so surprised when he heard a girlfriend at first because he always so fucking moody and we were like how does a dude like this have a girl."

She laughed, taking another drink. "I guess it's hard for me to believe that he is always so moody because he's always good with me."

Jem cut in from Will's other side. "When he came back from seeing you for your birthday was the first time we saw him smile since we met him and we all about died of shock."

"I was happy for weeks too. Do you guys have girlfriends?"

"Jace and Will are the only ones out of us who have an actual girlfriend." Jem answered.

"Actual?" Clary raised her eyebrows.

"They all either consistently cheat on their girlfriends or just have a friend with benefits." Jace answered for Jem, running his hand up and down her back.

"Sounds terrible." She raised her drink back up to her lips.

Jem nodded. "Yeah, the ones who cheat are all real dicks." He pointed to Sebastian who was already pretty shit faced where he was sitting on a chair. "He lasted about three days before he fucked the first girl that offered, meanwhile your boyfriend gets propositions from at least five girls a day and has never even entertained the idea."

"You get hit on a lot?" She asked him.

He shrugged. "I mean I guess. I don't pay all that attention to them if I'm being honest."

Will laughed out loud, causing the two of them to look at him. "Don't pay attention, you hardly notice. He's laughed in like three faces, told like five of them all about you, and just said the word no to like twenty girls. And some of these girls are some good looking girls, it's kind of how we figured out he had a girlfriend, it was either that or he was gay."

"I am definitely not gay." Jace finished his can. "Just very much in love."

Clary ran her fingers across his scalp.

"Jon was right." Will was grinning at him as finished his own drink. "You are a fucking sap."

Jace only shrugged, honestly not wanting to drink anymore. People normally drank for two reasons, because they were happy or because they were unhappy. But he only drank when was unhappy and he was most certainly not unhappy at the moment.

Clary offered to grab him another beer but he only shook his head. "When you get your next drink can you grab me two more?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"So Clary, any dirt on the boys?" Will asked.

Clary laughed. "I mean I have lots, but I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate me sharing them."

Jordan cut in from his seat. "She calls Jon, Jonny."

She glared at him with no real bite. "Unless you've known him as long as me, you can't call him that."

"Can you Jace?" Jordan asked. "Or do you go by Jacey too."

He shook his head. "I've known him only half as long as her, I don't count. And no, Jace is already a nickname."

Clary said, "So is Jon." At the same time one of the guys asked, "for what?"

"My real name is Jonathan, too." He shrugged.

"Where'd Jace come from?" Jen asked.

"My middle name is Christopher. J. C. And than this one." He motioned to Clary. "Started slurring them together and than everyone started calling me Jace."

Clary climbed off his lap, already done with her first drink. He watched her she placed the now empty bottles on the desk before opening the fridge. She came back over with two new beers and her other can of Mike Harders. Her face was a little flushed now and he knew she was feeling her drink a little.

And he honestly loved it when she was tipsy. He was the affectionate of the two normally, but she could never stop touching him when she was drunk. She sat back in his lap, placing one of his beers on the floor and handing him the other.

He opened his beer, chugging it quickly. He drank the other one slower, not wanting to get too drunk. He had only gotten 12 cans so it wasn't enough to get plastered but if he wasn't careful he could definitely start to feel it. He had her to get drunk around the guys, normally he just got a little buzzed enough where he didn't get annoyed being around a bunch of drunk football players.

And he did not really want to get drunk in front of Clary again, the last time he had been drunk with her had involved a lot of tears on his part. He was glad that it had happened because God knows he can not always get his feelings out when he is sober but he knew it should have been done while he was was thinking straight.

Clary was getting tired, her head falling back on his shoulder as she talked to Will and Jem. Some people got loud and touchy with everyone, she got tired and cuddly, at least with Jace. Her Mikes was almost empty and her giggles were getting louder and cuter the more she talked. Will and Jem were laughing with her, obviously enjoying her company and he honestly just wanted to leave. And lay under the covers with her and talk. Instead he asked Jon to toss him a couple more beers and tried to get a little less there.

After he finished his eighth beer he was starting to feel it a little. Clary was done with her two drinks and sipping on one of his beers, her eyes bright and her face a little red. She was only slightly tipsy but it was enough for her to keep kissing him every so often. He wouldn't complain, she normally did not like to be that kind of affectionate in public. She would rather hold his hand than kiss him.

All was going fine until Sebastian tried to stand for the first time. He had went through a half a case of beer himself on top of a four loko and could not say a sentence without laughing. As soon as he was on his feet he fell on to his face. They were always careful when they drank, if they got hurt coach would have their heads on a platter. They never drank between Wednesday and Saturday morning, he would spring random breathalyzers on them to make sure they were staying sober before the game. At the same time he wasn't stupid or unreasonable, so as long as they did it smartly, secretively, and it did not affect their playing he wouldn't say anything.

Jace had never seen Sebastian so bad. Looking back to where he was sitting he also noticed two small bottles of fireball and it made sense. That stuff was strong and he knew that even that would get through Sebastian's strong drinking tolerance when combined with everything else. He was not moving and Jace knew that the fucker had knocked himself out.

His roommate and Will helped him up, knowing that they needed to get him in bed so he could sleep it off. Thankfully his roommate would be there to get him up the next morning or Jace was sure he would not be able to get up. Clary was watching, still sipping on her beer in his lap.

"You okay?" He asked her, running his hand along her arm.

She nodded. "Yeah, you?"

He nodded too, dropping his lips to the back of her neck. "Yeah, I'm just ready for bed to be honest."

Clary nodded in agreement, drinking the last of her beer. "Alcohol makes me tired."

"I know babe." He kissed her neck again. "I know everything about you." That sparked a thought in his head. "Hey, does Jon know you're coming to OSU next year?"

She shook her head. "No, I wanted you to be the first to know."

He kissed her lips this time as she leaned back, enjoying the feel of her against him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She climbed off his lap and sat down in front of Jon.

Jace watched as he finished his last can, ready to go back to their room and sleep. He could not hear what they were saying over the music and the boys but he saw Jon as he launched himself at a laughing Clary, hugging her tight. He smiled, standing up and joining the two on the floor.

"This is incredible." Jon was saying to a very giddy Clary. "Does that mean you are going to room with Iz?"

Jace had not even thought of that. All he thought about was himself and he could not help but feel guilty. Jon would get to spend time with his favorite person in the world. Her and Iz would get to live together, something they always dreamed about. Simon was going to Capitol which was close to OSU and everything would work out best for her.

"I am so excited." Jon hugged her again. "And I am really proud of you for making the decision on your own."

She smiled, hugging him back. "Me too, I knew that if I made the decision either way for anyone other than myself I would have a lot of resentment."

She pulled back, leaning against Jace. He extended his arm behind her, basking in the comfort of her. He felt a lightness in his chest that had not been there before she had told him his decision. He could get through this year if it meant that he would never to it again.

As Clary's weight began to get heavier against him he turned to look down at her. "Ready for bed?"

She nodded, her eyes closed. Jon smiled at him as Jace stood up with Clary. She was leaning pretty heavily on him and he just picked her up in his arms, allowing her arms to wind around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. He made sure he had both of their phones and than he was carrying her out of the room. Everyone said goodbye to two, told them to have fun which Jace rolled his eyes at. They did not care about much else at the moment other then football and sex which was so not where his head was at.

He managed to slide the key through the lock without putting Clary down until he was safely at his bed. She was practically asleep now, the tiredness hitting her quickly. He grabbed a make up wipe of hers and one of his big t-shirts. He wiped of the little make up she had on before taking off her leggings, sweater and bra. He pulled the shirt on before picking her back up and lifting the covers up and tucking her in under them.

Jace stripped out of his own shirt before brushing his teeth quickly. He turned the fan on in the corner before he was climbing in next to her. She was more than half asleep as he wrapped his arms around her. He could not remember a time where his bed had felt more comfortable as their feet intertwined and her back pressed against his chest. He got to wake up next to her and not her picture the next day. And he would not have to say goodbye right away, she would be there for the entire day. A smile spread across his face as he followed her into the land of dreams, holding her in his arms. God, he could not wait for next year already.


	3. Chapter 3

Jon closed his eyes, leaning his head on the back of his seat. They were on their way back to campus on the bus. The excitement that had bled over from yesterday was long gone as everyone appeared dead around him. Jace was asleep against the window next to him, his headphones on. They had only been on the bus for about five minutes and were going to be off it in another five but Jon knew that Jace wasn't the only one asleep. The plane ride had been quick enough but he was just ready to be home. And not home as in campus, home as in home. The two of them were headed back to Cleveland for an entire week to spend the rest of their break.

He knew that Jace was ecstatic. Yesterday had been so busy and chaotic that they had not got the chance to see Clary before she had to leave. Maryse, Robert, and Max had an extra couple hours before their flight to see the two and congratulate them but Clary and their parents had already went home. Izzy had been unable to make it, same as Alec, but he knew they had been watching at home.

The team climbed off the bus and met one last time before they were free to go. Jon could not repeat a single thing that was mentioned during the meeting, his mind set on getting home. Jace looked to be in the same boat as they placed their hands in the middle for the break. He was just as ready to leave.

"Buckeyes." They threw their hands down.

The circle disembarked and they made their way back to their dorms. Their friends walked with them, everyone trudging on in their tired states. Luckily Jace and Jon had already packed before and they had left their bags in their cars so they could leave straight away. With some lazy hugs and pat on the backs they veered from their friends and towards Jace's car. Jace was driving his car this time, luckily for Jon who wanted nothing more than to pass out in the passenger seat. He knew that wasn't fair to Jace so he tried his best to stay awake as long as he could. That only lasted about twenty minutes before his head was falling back on his neck as he kept jerking awake.

"Just go to sleep man." Jace told him, his eyes on the road. "I'm too excited to go sleep."

"You're ridiculous."

"How?" Jace asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at Jon.

"You just are." Jon closed his eyes. He was too tired to argue.

"Right." Jace said with a snort. Jon did not reply, already fast asleep.

Jace turned the music up a little, thumping his fingers against the steering wheel. As tired as he was he was that much more excited. He would get to be home. To see his family. And Clary. And just do nothing for an entire week. He decided he would spend half of it asleep and the other half with Clary. Solely dependent on when she was at school.

The thought of seeing her kept him awake enough to make the drive go quickly. After what felt like twenty minutes he was making his way off the exit and through the familiar streets that led him home. He stopped at Jon's first who had woken up when they had made the way off the highway, his eyes still rather blurring.

"See you in like ten minutes." Jon said as he opened the door to grab his bag.

"What, why?" Jace asked, turning to look at him.

"The party." Jon rolled his eyes. "Jace, there's like one hundred people at your house right now waiting to celebrate with you."

He groaned, dropping his head to the steering wheel. It was like seven o'clock and all he wanted to do was curl up with Clary and eat popcorn as they watched a movie. Something that they had not done in far too he supposed he'd at least get to see some friends and people who were important to him.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved at Jon who was laughing at him. "See you soon."

A minute later Jace was closing the door of the car behind him smiling at the house in front of him. He grabbed his bag from the backseat before heading up the front stairs. There were cars lined up and down the streets, waiting to celebrate his arrival. And Jon's, but he had gone to his house first, wanting nothing more than to take a shower. Jace couldn't help but agree with him and wondered if he would be able to sneak away long enough to do so. He had been traveling all day and he felt gross. He pushed open his door and was met with dozens of congratulations. People clapped him on the back with the hands that weren't holding their food as he made his way to the kitchen, his bag still slung over his shoulder.

"Jace." Maryse pulled him in for a hug when he reached her.

"Hey mom." He kissed her on the cheek.

"How was the drive?" She asked him as she washed her hands over the sink. The kitchen was filled with food, a mix of take out and homemade side dishes.

"Good." He looked around the kitchen, seeing the rest of his family in various places. Izzy was sitting around the fire with her friends as Ohio had decided to be its normal bipolar self and be a balmy sixty degrees in January. He felt the familiar buzz inside when he caught sight of Clary's curls hanging down her back among them.

Luke was sitting on the couch with Robert and some of their buddies from around the neighborhood. Jocie was sitting at a table with some of her own friends, everyone looking extremely happy.

He had been planning on going to shower as soon as he was done seeing Maryse but now he found himself shouldering his bag down the stairs, through the living room, and out to the back patio where his girlfriend was, a smile already forming on his face when their eyes met.

"Jace!" Izzy smiled widely at him when she saw him, waving.

He waved back, dropping his bag so that he could catch his girlfriend who had vaulted from her chair when she saw him and had catapulted herself into his arms.

"Hey." He caught her, laughing as he hugged her to him. He had missed her so much.

"Congratulations." She whispered into his ear.

"I've missed you." He said instead, he already knew how proud she was of him.

"I've missed you, too." Clary pulled him in for a quick kiss, mindful of all the people around them.

He set her down, settling for holding her hand instead. She looked so happy and beautiful as she looked up at him, a wide smile taking over her face. He kissed her forehead, keeping his lips there for a minute. She smelled so fucking good. She tugged at his hand, pulling him to where all her friends were watching. They didn't even bother to pretend to turn away as Clary took her seat again. He stayed behind her, his hands on the back of her chair.

"Ladies." He nodded at them. " Izzy. " He smiled at his sister, happy to see her.

"Hey Jace." They chorused back. "Congrats."

He was kind of ashamed he didn't know the names of all her friends. Well he knew their names, he just didn't know what faces belonged to what names. Clary had too many friends for him to keep track of, she just had a way of enamoring those around her, himself included. So he knew her small circle of friends she had for a while, Izzy and three girls that sat among the ten of them. The other five he didn't have the faintest of ideas, he wasn't even sure if he had ever seen them in his life.

"Do you have to shower?" Clary tilted her head back to look at him. She was so fucking adorable.

"Yeah." He leaned forward to kiss her head once more. "I'll be back soon."

She rolled her eyes. "You better not be."

He arched an eyebrow.

"There's a house full of people wanting to talk to you."

"It's a good thing you're cute." He kissed her again, this time on the lips. "Because you're stupid if you think I'm going to be anywhere else but next to you tonight. I haven't seen you over a month, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, lightly shoving his face back. "Okay, okay. Don't drown."

"Love you too." He called over his shoulder as he made his way back in the house, his bag slung over his shoulder.

She was right when she said there was a house full of people wanting to talk to him. His dad and Luke stopped him when he went back in the house, pulling him in for hugs. Other people he barely knew did the same. Friends from high school clapped him on the back and dragged him into their conversation for a lot longer then he had hoped. Jocie had pulled him in for a hug, wondering where her son was and congratulating him. By the time he made it to his room it had already been twenty minutes since he had left Clary out back. He sighed, flopping down on the bed. He should have dragged her with him, he would have been happy to talk to everyone then. Well, maybe not happy but happier.

His phone buzzed from his pocket and he brought it out to see Jon's contact photo light up his phone.

"Hello." He answered, covering his eyes with his arm.

"Hey man." Jace could barely hear him over the voices in the background. "Where are you?"

"I just made it to my room." He sighed. "It was a nightmare walking through the crowd."

"I know. Thankfully I saw Clary first because she was in the backyard or I don't think I ever would have."

"I made the stupid decision of seeing her first, now I've wasted twenty minutes where I could have been with her." Jace groaned into the phone.

"Hurry up man. We're all waiting to celebrate with you."

"We?" Jace asked.

"Everyone man. Just hurry." And with that he hung up.

Jace pushed himself off the bed and into the bathroom connecting his and Alec's room. The Frays and the Lightwoods lived in pretty much the same house although the Lightwoods was a little bigger with an additional bedroom.

He stepped under the water, a sigh escaping him. Their showers at school had the worst water pressure ever and it was such a relief to be back in his own shower, even if it was devoid of his redhead. Jace wrapped the towel around his waist, walking back into his room. He searched through his bag before he found a sweatshirt and some gray joggers to pull on. And then he left the comfort of his own room to rejoin the chaos downstairs. As he made his way to find his girlfriend he ran into Jon sitting among their friends.

"Hey man." Jon greeted him, handing him a bottle of beer. Jace shook his head.

"I'll be back, I'm going to go grab Clary." He said as he backed out of the room.

He turned his back before he could see Jon roll his eyes, something he knew he was doing, and skirted around people with his head down as he made it back to the patio. The girls were still surrounding the fire but Clary was missing. He groaned, walking over to figure out where she went.

"Hey Iz." He gave her a hug, before taking the seat Clary had vacated. "Where's Clare?"

"Right here." Her voice came from where she was walking up the stairs at the back of the deck, coming from her house.

He smiled, standing back up and reaching for her hand. "Do you guys mind if I steal her?"

She grabbed his hand as the girls all laughed and shook their heads. They knew he didn't really care one way or another.

"I'll see you later." She waved over her shoulder as he led her back in the house.

Jace made his way through the throngs of people and back to the living room where Jon and their buddies were hanging out. The beer for Jace waiting in his chair. He sat on one side of the chair, leaving the other side for Clare. It was big and soft but she was still sitting almost on top of him and she felt so good pressed against his leg. And everything else. His arm wrapped around her, finding the dip in her hip. She leaned a little in to him, her hand coming to rest on his leg.

"I love you." She mumbled as her lips came in contact with his real quick.

"I love you too." He smiled against her.

"Hey Clare." Her attention was drawn away as his friends greeted her. Some of them were more her friends at this point, still being in school with her. She had been such a heavy part of both Jace and Jon's lives in high school and thus their lives.

Jon opened the bottle for Jace as one of his hands was around Clary. Jace took a swig, liking the taste of this beer so much better than the cheap college one he was used to. He offered it to Clary who took it gladly, taking her own sip. She shifted in the seat so her legs were tucked in his lap, her head on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead before resting his head against hers, the beer forgotten in his hand. His eyes closed as he breathed in the scent that was Clary. He couldn't wait to spend the entire week with her. When she wasn't at school that was.

"Good game yesterday." Justin was smiling at him when he opened his eyes.

"Thanks man." He gave him a small smile.

"When you scored that touchdown the house pretty much erupted."

"The house?" He asked.

"All of us." He motioned to the rest of the guys among the furniture. "Got together at Charles's to watch the game. Our two boys were the stars, we couldn't miss it."

"It was an experience I'll never forget." Jace smiled at the ceiling. "Still hasn't sunk in yet I don't think."

"I'll bet." Ben chipped in before chugging the rest of his drink.

"What was going though your mind when coach put you in for that last play?" Trevor asked.

Jace shrugged. "Nothing really, I trained all year for that moment and I just needed to keep my head on my shoulders and I'd be okay."

"I think I would have shit my pants." Jon chimed in.

"Yeah right." Jace rolled his eyes. "You seemed fine when coach threw you in last second to end the second quarter."

Jon shrugged. "It wasn't the end of the game and we weren't losing. Very different scenarios."

"Whatever you say, man." Jace grinned. "All I know is we get to do absolutely nothing for a week and I'm stoked."

"Cheers to that." Jon raised his beer to Jace. Jace raised his back, tapping the necks and raising it back to his lips.

"You lucky ducks." Trevor piped up. "We all have to go back tomorrow."

"You also got three weeks for Christmas. We got nothing." Jon pointed out.

"Not our fault you two decided to play for OSU."

"Not our fault you didn't." Jace reminded him, his hand finding its way to Clary's now that his drink was empty.

She let him interlace their fingers, her eyes closed. If he didn't know her better he would think she was asleep but he could tell by her breathing that she was still awake by her breathing.

He flicked his wrist to his face so he could see the time. It was almost seven now. He knew that the party would last to close to midnight. He groaned, resting his head back on Clary's. At least she was here now he supposed. Though he would much rather be in his bed, under the covers, with his legs tangled with her but he'd take what he could get.

"I'm going to go make some rounds." Jon announced standing up. His empty drinks in his hands.

Jace nodded, he just needed a minute first. He closed his eyes again, counting to thirty in his head. Clary shifted against him, making to move her head. He made a noise of protest.

"Wait. Just a couple more seconds." He muttered, his eyes still closed.

She burrowed deeper in his arm, her head coming right below his nose. He breathed her in one last time, preparing himself to get up.

"Okay." He breathed, his eyes slowly opening. "Come with me." He begged. "I won't go without you."

She nodded against his chest. "Of course." She dislodged from him to kiss him, her lips soft against him.

He hummed against her lips, happy to have her back.

"Come on." She stood up, giving him her hands.

He let her pull her up, stealing a quick kiss when he was on his feet. She smiled, shaking her head at him. A smile that prompted him to take another one before being dragged to the kitchen because honestly, who could resist her.

"Jace!" Robert yelled his name, beckoning him over with his hand.

Jace made his way down the stairs, mindful of Clary. She was small and easy to lose in the crowd. He didn't let go of her hand as he helped her down the stairs and to their fathers. Jace reached them and took a seat, his hand still in Clary's as she sat next to him.

"Hey Clare." Robert ignored Jace now that he was here, focusing on Clary. Jace swore that there wasn't a single person who didn't like Clary. "Having fun?"

Clary nodded, leaning back on the couch. "Just tired."

"There's a lot of people here." Luke said, looking around. "I'm sure that in a couple hours all of you guys will be able to slip out and no one would notice."

"Movie night at the Fray's?" Jace asked, grinning. It was something they did once a month during the later years in high school and were something he missed dearly while away at school.

Yeah, it'll be fun! " Clary smiled at him, pulling out her phone to text who knows who.

"I'm so down." Jace said, leaning back against the couch with Clary and letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her. "Are you having a good time, dad?"

Robert nodded, smiling. "We're just so proud of the two of you and its great to see so many other people who are the same way."

Jace nodded. "There's a lot of people here." Jace looked around, there head to be at least a hundred. At least.

"I know." Robert sighed. "It wasn't supposed to get this big but when word got out that we were throwing one everyone wanted to come to see you two. And the guest list blew up from thirty to one hundred and thirty."

Jace whistled. Holy shit. "Who were the thirty?" He asked, curious to as who Robert would want to invite.

"Our two families. " Robert said like it was obvious and Jace honestly didn't know what he would do if wasn't so close with his girlfriend's family. "Some neighbors and family friends. Your guys's friends. Than Izzy and Clary's friends wanted to come and more of your friends. Some work friends of ours and more of our families like your aunts and uncles. More neighbors came and people who supported you in school came. It just kind blew up because we could not turn anyone down."

Jace nodded, he probably would have rather just came home to the their two families but he felt touched that so many people in their lives wanted to congratulate them.

"I think I should probably go talk to all the people who came before we sneak out."

"That would be a good idea." Luke said. "They were all so excited to see you two."

Jace nodded, standing up from his seat. He offered a hand to Clary and helped her climb to her feet.

"We'll see you later." He nodded at the two, Clary walking beside him with her hand once again in his.

Jace slowly made his rounds, spending some time with everyone who came out to see him. A few people who he did not really know he only stopped to thank them for coming and hear their congratulations. Almost all of the people he knew really well also knew who Clary was and often dragged her into the conversation as well. It made Jace's day every time she told someone she was going to be a Buckeye next year. A constant reminder that he would never have to miss her they way he did now again.

"Hey Coach." Jace greeted the man who made him who he was today with a hug. "How've you been?"

The man pulled Clary in to a hug too, she was the team's good luck charm. "I've been great, we really missed you two this season but we adapted."

"I could tell." He grinned as Clary fell back into his side, his arm around her shoulder. "We kept up with the team, we were just sad that we couldn't come see a game."

"Feelings mutual." Coach waved him off. "I tried to score some tickets for the rivalry game but I just couldn't, a lot of the seniors wanted to go but they sold out so quickly."

"Most times, games are just as exciting on tv."

"Ain't that the truth." Coach smiled at him before turning to Clary. "And how are you adapting without your boys?"

She smiled at him, using her charm. "It was hard at first but I adapted too."

"Are you still planning on going to NYU?"

"Nope." She shook her head. "I decided that OSU was a better option after all."

Coach grinned even wider. "Glad to hear that."

Jace nodded his head in agreement. "Thank you for coming tonight."

Coach put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you for being one of the best athletes to ever come through our school and still work hard. You and Jon are living legends now."

Jace hugged him again, thanking him. Coach gave his shoulder one last squeeze and a hug for Clary before he walked off. Jace carried on his rounds, heading to the kitchen to where their moms and their friends were. Jon was sitting in between their moms, looking stuck.

"Jace!" He greeted him, leaping to his feet. "Clary! How nice to see you!" He offered her his chair, making a break for the exit.

"Jon." Clary grabbed his arm as he flew by her. "We're going to head to ours in like an hour for a movie night."

"Looking forward to it." He ruffled her hair and then was gone.

Clary took his seat and Jace found himself once again resting on the back of it. She was talking to her mom with a smile on her face. God had he missed her and her smile. And her laugh. And her everything. He missed the way it felt to be with her and how elated he was with everything she did.

She was beautiful and kind. She made him a better person just by being in his life. The fact that she chose to love him more than anyone else made his heart ache with love. This girl was something to so many people. People were attracted to her and her kindness. Jace doubted she would ever have to go a day without being with someone who loves her. And knowing that she still chooses him, everyday, is a feeling that he doesn't think he would ever be able to begin to describe.

"Jace." His mom hit his arm. "I've called your name like five times."

"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly at her, his attention finally pulled away from the girl in front of him.

She waved him off. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"

Jace nodded. He had. Mostly just because he was with Clary again but he had enjoyed talking to the people who had come to see him. "Thanks for doing this." He leaned over to kiss her cheek.

She squeezed his hand. "Thanks for being a son that's so easy to be proud of."

He grinned at her before he was distracted by Clary getting up from her chair.

"Where are you going?" His hand flew to hers, alarmed that she was leaving him.

"Relax." She rolled her eyes. "I'm just going to the bathroom."

He nodded, letting her hand go. "Hurry back."

She shook her head at him with a grin. "Don't go anywhere else, I don't think I'll be able to find you in here."

He nodded, sitting himself down in the seat she had just vacated. Maryse had moved on to another conversation, as well as Jocelyn and he found that he had a minute to himself. He pulled out his phone and replied to some text messages he had gotten before jumping on to his social medias.

His finger stopped scrolling when he came across a picture he hadn't realized Clary posted. It was a picture of the three of them back in high school. She was standing between the two of them on their high school football field wearing his other jersey as they all smiled at the camera.

 _so proud of my boys and everything they've done_

He grinned, double tapping the photo to be her three hundred and something like. He also commented an I love you because he loved her so much it hurt.

She wasn't the only one who had posted about him or Jon but hers was the only one that he really cared about. Their friends had made similar posts but they didn't warrant an I love you like hers.

Slender arms wrapped around him from behind and he leaned back into them as he continued to scroll, his other hand holding one of her arms. Her lips met his neck a couple times and he smiled to himself.

"Ready to go babe?" She asked him when he finished.

"Oh yeah." He didn't make any move, not wanting to let go of her yet.

"Come on." Her arms left his neck. "I'm ready to go cuddle under a blanket with you."

That got him going as it was one of the things he had been constantly thinking about himself. He said goodbye to the women around the table and let Clary lead him through the house by the hand. They had to go to his room first to grab a pair of shoes before they went to her house.

Having her to himself in a room got the better of him as he pulled her on his bed, his lips finding hers. She let him, kissing him back with equal vigor.

"I love you." He mumbled between kisses, rolling so she was laying on top of him, his arms tight around her.

"I love you too." She kissed him, her hands gripping his hair. "I can't wait to go to college with you."

That surprised him, his lips stopping. "Huh?" He was excited too, it just seemed random.

She pushed up on his chest with her hands so she was hovering over him. "I can't wait to go to college with you and go to your games and congratulate you after every one and not just the last one. I want to be able to give you your good luck kisses and good job kisses again. I miss wearing your jersey to games and helping you unwind after games. I just miss being with you and being a part of your life."

He rolled her over so he could kiss her quickly against the mattress. "I can't wait for all those things too. I can't wait to wake up next to you almost everyday because there are no parents to watch out for."

"Just Jon." She giggled up at him.

"Not if he gets a girlfriend." Jace wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She gasped. "Has he met someone and not told me?"

He kissed her again. "Kind of. They're not serious at the moment but I have woken up to an empty room a couple times in the past month."

She pouted underneath him.

"Don't do that." He kissed her again. "It's too irresistible because you're already too cute to handle most days and that just isn't fair."

She smiled instead, shoving him off her. It was his turn to pout and hers to kiss him.

"Come on." She got up from the bed. "I want to cuddle."

"No you don't." He slowly sat up, taking the shoes she handed him. "You want to interrogate Jon."

She smiled, trying to look innocent. "I want that but I also want to cuddle."

He stood up from the bed, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "Whatever you want baby."

He kissed her again before he was dragged back downstairs to where Jon had rejoined the guys on the sectional.

"Ready?" Jon asked when he saw them, standing up.

Clary nodded, leading the way outside to the now empty patio besides the slowly dying fire. Clary had jumped on his back so her shoes didn't get muddy. She paid him in kisses and he couldn't find it with in him to mind.

He didn't set her down until they were in their basement where the girls were already gathered around the tv waiting for them. Izzy was scrolling through Netflix as Jace took a seat on a cushion. Their basement was made for movie nights. It had pillows and blankets everywhere to sit comfortably on the floor. There were two couches next to each other behind them to sit on. And the tv screen was almost as big as the wall. Clary grabbed some more blankets from a closet and handed them to people who didn't have one. The couch was full of the guys including Jon, their seats reclined as Clary draped blankets over them. A couple of the guys were sitting on the floor on cushions with their own blankets. The girls were circled in front of the tv on their own cushions, laying back so they could see the tv.

Clary finally made it back to Jace, taking a seat between his legs and pulling the blanket over them. He was leaning against an arm pillow so he was still propped up enough to see the screen. Surprisingly there was only one other overlapping couple between the two groups considering how often they spent their time together. They had taken a similar position as Jace and Clary although Trevor was leaning against Clary's other best friend Katie.

Jace wrapped his arms around Clary and closed his eyes. This is what he had wanted to do since he gotten home three hours ago.

"Want to watch Irreplaceable You?" Izzy asked, falling on the Netflix original.

There was a resounding no from all the guys. Jace did not really care what they watched. Clary had not said anything herself so he was inclined to believe she did not either.

"Southpaw?" Izzy asked next.

Jace had seen the movie already and it was a good one. He and Clary had watched it together over the summer on one of their all day movie binges that they did. She had cried during the beginning and while he hated to watch her cry it made her extra cuddly. And an extra cuddly Clary made an extra happy Jace. This time he said yes, along with the majority of the room. A couple of the girls said no but the majority of the room said yes.

"It's a good one." Clary said, trying to get the room into agreement. "I promise."

The girls gave into her, settling down to watch the movie as Izzy pressed play. The only light in the room came from the tv as there was a strict no phones during their movie rule, like an actual movie theater. The movies were a sacred event.

"I love you." She tilted her head back and whispered.

He grinned wildly down at her. "I love you." He kissed her nose.

She smiled before resting her head back down on his chest. He ran his hands through her hair, his body relaxing as it always did in her presence. His body felt heavy and sated against the pillow, his mind blissfully blank.

His eyes were fluttering open and shut as the movie flickered on the screen. He could tell by Clary's breathing that she was fast asleep, oblivious to the man screaming on screen. Jace hated this part. The idea of Clary bleeding out in his arms was enough to reduce him to tears let alone it actually happening. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he lost her. He'd have nothing to live for and no one to live for. There'd never be anyone else for him.

She had come into his life when he was ten and moved in with the Lightwoods into the house behind hers. Izzy and her were already best friends and Jon and Alec were close. So the more accurate thing to say would be he came into her life and she made his life so much better.

He was a foster kid. He had seen the worst of people and the world. He had been in and out of so many abusive households and had had no reason to believe his new house would be any different.

From his first day in the house he was inclined to think that maybe it could be. They gave him his own room and remodeled a part of the basement for Izzy to move into. It was like he was already becoming a family fixture. They made him a stocking for Christmas to hang up on the fire place that was identical to the others. He had an assigned seat at the table and not just a chair that they pulled up for him, a chair that stayed there. And they showed him what love was from the moment he set foot in the house.

It was all so confusing for his young mind. The only thing he knew was that the redhead that lived behind him and played with his sister was really pretty. She always wore her hair in double braids and had a smile to rival the sun on her face. The first time he smiled at the house was because she had smiled at him when they came over for dinner.

Their families were close long before Jace had moved in. The Frays had moved in two years before he arrived, coming off a nasty divorce. It was the reason Clary and Jon were so close. They protected each other and were there for each other. Jocelyn had won the kids in a nasty custody battle and moved clear cross the country from Valentine, leaving him in California. Luke had moved in a year after Jace had arrived though he had known him since he moved in, and they were married when Jon and Jace were 15.

Sitting at the table the first night he met the family, over a month since he had moved in and hibernated in his room, was the first time he felt truly happy. He had not wanted to allow himself to get attached to the family because it seemed to good to be true. But him and Jon had become instant best friends and Clary made him so nervous he had problems forming sentences around her. It was worth it in his little kid mind in that moment, to feel a happiness like that even if he could lose it. And when they finally got permission to adopt him when he was 12 it was like a weight the size of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. He may not have his blood family but he had his family. A family that chose him and made a choice to love him and care for him every single day.

And he had two families in a lot of ways. Growing up and going through high school he spent just as much time at the Frays as he did in his own house. If not for Jon than for Clary. Their yards became one, their two houses became one home. Jace did not think he went two days without visiting the Frays since they had the dinner so long ago. He even had a house key and when they were younger Jon had bunked beds for how often he spent the night.

The Lightwoods had adopted him but they were not alone in saving him. The cute girl with red braids and the boy with hair so blonde it was white had provided him a feeling he had never let himself believe before. Izzy and Alec were the best siblings he could ask for. They were always there for him and were as welcome at the Frays as he was and at the Frays as often as he was. And Max was like everyone's little brother and together they made a giant happy family.

Being away from Clary was not the only hard part about going to college although it was undoubtedly the worst. Going from such a big family to only Jon was hard. He did not know if he would be able to handle it if not for Jon. Anyone else, besides Clary, and he knows he would not be able to do it. Jon was his best friend and would always be his best friend. The idea that they could one day play on different professional teams scared him. They could be at opposite ends of the country, in a different time zone. At least he would have Clary. Hopefully. Definitely.

A lot of people called them naive. That it was stupid to plan your life around someone that might not even be in it. But Clary was his life. They went on their first date before he was a sophomore in high school. He had been obsessed with her since he first saw her from his window when he was ten. He loved her and respected her long before he was in love with her. Even if she were to break up with him because heaven knows he would never, they would still be in each other's lives. He would not be able to handle a life with out Clary. Granted, it would still be a terrible life but he would make the effort for her.

She had been with him when he broke his leg. When he won the state championship. For his first tattoo and his latest one. She helped him with his taxes and budgeting his money. There was nothing he kept from her and there was nothing she kept from him. He often found it unfair that he had fallen in love so early in life. He just wanted to marry her already, it was going to happen one way or another. She was his and he was hers. That's why he had gotten her a promise ring for her birthday. A ring that now hung from a chain around her neck.

He was hers. wholly. inexplicably. forever.

"Jace." She mumbled, turning her head, still half asleep.

"Yes Angel?" He asked, leaning forwards.

"I'm really glad you're back."

"Me too, baby." He smiled into her hair.

"Jace?" She asked again.

"Clary." He nudged her cheek with his nose, breathing her in.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed the side of her head. "Are you ready to go upstairs?"

She nodded against his chest but did not make a move otherwise. He glanced up to see that the movie was almost over. Everyone was still awake but Jon who was passed out on the couch, mouth wide open. Izzy looked half asleep too from the traveling they had done.

"Come on." He sat up straight and helped her get to her feet. "Let's get you to bed."

He climbed up after her, leaving their pillows and blankets to pick up in the morning and walked her to the stairs. No one took a second glance at the pair as they went. They both looked too tired to tease or question.

When they reached her room she quickly took off the jeans and hoodie she was wearing in favor of one of his many t-shirts she had stolen and a pair of too big sweatpants that he had grown out of. He brushed his teeth with the toothbrush he had in their bathroom, standing next to her as she brushed her own teeth. This is what his forever was going to look like. He would turn the fan on and the light off as she quickly wiped her face clean of make up before joining him on the bed. They would mumble their I love yous and he would wrap his arms around her. He would fall asleep with his face in her hair and his heart in her hand knowing that there was no way that life could ever get any better than it was at that moment. And he would never take it for granted again.


	4. Chapter 4

_Kalahari is a giant indoor water park. This one's in Sandusky, Ohio._

* * *

Jon fought down the vile rising in his throat as he watched Jace make gooey eyes at his sister from across the kitchen. It was a miracle that kid could function at college without her. Or even just a day without her. It was sick.

Well, he really wasn't disgusted, just proving a point that his best friend was too far gone for his sister. He's had the last three years and however many months to get used to seeing them together. Not to mention the years that Jace pined after her before she agreed to go out with him. He just sometimes wished that it was not painted on his face for the world to see. Well, not the world he supposed, just him as this was his best friend and that look was directed at his baby sister. But he was also happy for both of them and happy that someone cared so much about his little sister's happiness. And besides, Jon supposed there were worse people for his sister to fall in love with.

"Jon." Clary ruffled his hair. "Do you want a waffle?"

He nodded, stepping away from the wall he was leaning on and taking the seat next to Jace on the island. Jace smiled at him, a truly happy smile. As much as Jon hated to see the love sick grin he often wore on his face, he hated the fact he never wore it at college. He looked almost as if he would never be happy again.

But it was Thursday and Jace had spent the last six days in constant company of Clary and his family. And he still had four more days to go before he had to worry about leaving. He had no reason not to be happy. Especially right now because Clary was making breakfast.

It was 7 am and Jace had woken up to see Clary off before she left for school. One of the two had knocked something over and the noise had prompted Jon to get out of his bed and investigate. He found a fully dressed/half asleep Clary and a half dressed/half asleep Jace in the kitchen and decided to stick around because he was already up and he might as well enjoy her cooking.

"Are you ever on time for school?" Jon asked, looking at his sister. She looked far too calm for someone running so late.

She turned around as she watched the bacon with a grin to mirror the one on his face. They only shared two features, their eyes and that grin, not even their smiles. "As long as you guys aren't in town I'm normally on time."

"Sorry babe." Jace said not sounding sorry at all.

"Mmhm." She leaned across the island to kiss him. "Sure you are."

Jon snorted at the look on Jace's face when she pulled away. His normal dopey face was magnified by his lack of sleep and sheer happiness.

"Man up." Jon hit Jace's shoulder.

Jace hit him back, a scowl replacing the dopey look. "Shut up."

"Oh, real clever." Jon mocked him.

Jace hit him again.

"Boys!" Clary scolded them, stopping Jace before he could say anything.

That did not stop Jon from hitting him one last time, knowing fair well that Jace would not do anything in her presence.

"Jon." She said without turning around. "If you want your bacon you better stop."

"Sorry Clare-bear." He got out of the chair to grab the jug of orange juice in the fridge. "Mom and Luke leave for work already?"

"Yeah, mom left shortly before you came downstairs and Luke was gone before I woke up."

"They say anything about Jace sleeping in your bed?" Jon teased.

They had found the two of them asleep in her bed one summer morning and it had resulted in a lecture with the both of them about the birds and the bees. Jace refused to come over for two whole days which was a lot for him and even then it was only during the day. If Jon did not know any better he thought he saw a slight blush rising on Jace's cheeks as he hung his head.

"No." Clary laughed. "I don't know what's changed since they found him in the summer but they haven't said anything since then and I'm not about to bring it up."

Jon shook his head. He knew they would never have allowed it if it were anyone else, they were lucky like that. That and the fact that if Clary were a fraction as miserable as Jace than their parents were more likely to give her this tiny piece of happiness, even if it meant that Jace had not slept in his own bed since they had come home from college.

"It's already 7:15, school starts in fifteen minutes." Jon commented as he put the orange juice back, three cups now poured. "Are you even going to make it by second period."

She shrugged, turning the oven off. "Probably, not that it matters anyways, it's just Ms. Mundre."

"Then why not just skip the whole thing?" Jace asked, half kidding the half serious.

"Because I'm already skipping tomorrow." She reminded him, dividing the food on three plates.

Jon grinned. They were all leaving when she was done with school to go to Kalahari to celebrate Max's birthday. Maryse and Robert were taking the four of them, Izzy was coming too, and one of Max's friends from school for the night and the day. Clary and Izzy were both skipping tomorrow entirely, although Izzy did not miss school half as much as Clary did.

Jon burped, pushing his now empty plate away. Jace looked down at his own plate to see that he still had at least half his food before looking back at Jon, dumbfounded.

"How did you eat that fast?" Clary asked, thinking the same thing.

"Growing boy." He patted his stomach as he washed his plate at the sink. "And I can't stand to be around the two of you when you are like this."

"Like what?" Jace teased wrapping his arms around Clary. "This?" He placed kisses to her face.

"Goodbye." Jon called, running from the kitchen. "Have fun at school Clare."

"See you later." She called back through her laughter, shoving his face away. "Would you quit it, I'm trying to finish my breakfast."

He pouted. "And I'm trying to love my girlfriend."

"Trying?" She teased.

"Sorry." He kissed her face one last time. "I am loving my girlfriend."

"That's better." She patted his face. "You know you don't have to get up early for me."

"I want to, I love you." He kissed the back of her neck. "You know you don't have to cook just for me, I know you normally barely eat breakfast."

"I want to, I love you." She repeated. "I like starting my day with you."

"Me too." He ate the last piece of his bacon before stealing one of hers.

"Babe." She lightly slapped his hand. "That was mine,"

"I know." He snuggled his head into her shoulder. "I'm a growing boy."

"And I'm a growing girl." She countered.

"I don't know." His hands moved to her hips. "I feel like every time I see you you're even smaller."

She leaned back on his chest. "That's you babe. You keep getting bigger, I haven't lost a pound."

"Bigger? Are you calling me fat?" Jace mock pouted.

"Yeah right." She laughed. "You just gained a lot of muscle."

"Do you like it?" He asked, curious.

"I like everything about you." She turned to kiss him. "You've changed a lot since the fifteen year old boy I used to date."

"In a good way?"

"Very. I'm really proud to be your girlfriend, I always have been."

He sighed, smiling into her neck. "I love you."

"I'd hope so, after all I'm about to be real late for school for you." She teased.

"Don't you love me?" He asked, blowing a raspberry into her neck.

"I don't know, are you going to help me with the dishes." She laughed, shying away from his mouth. His arms tightened not letting her get very far.

"I don't know, do you love me?" He asked again, still blowing raspberries into her neck.

"Yes." She laughed. "I love you."

"I can't hear you?" He continued the assault.

"I love you, I love you, I love you." She laughed loudly, squirming in his arms.

"I love you, too." He placed a soft kiss to her neck before letting her go. "And don't worry about the dishes, I'll do them once you leave."

"I love you" She said, stepping back in his arms, this time her chest resting on his as she hugged him.

He ran his hand down her face with a smile. "I love you too."

She sighed before stepping away from his arms again to grab his hand. "Alright, come on. I've got to go brush my teeth before I go."

Jace let her lead him back to her room where he watched from where he sat on her bed as she brushed her teeth in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of leggings and one of his hoodies, her hair pulled up in a ponytail that he would have to take down later. She looked so comfortable and cute, as always. She was gorgeous, he knew that without a doubt, but above all else she was simply adorable. And his heart always ached with the constant need to hold her and to watch out for her.

Her bag for the night was laying on the floor, half packed. She had a change of clothes but she was letting him finish the rest for her while she was at school. The four of them were staying in a room while Robert and Maryse stayed with Max and his friend in the room next door so Jace couldn't pack what he wishes he could. He didn't even think he was going to get to sleep in the same bed as Clare tonight. Izzy would probably steal her and he'd get stuck with Jon who had no real concept of space while he slept, even if he did deny it in the morning.

She walked towards him until she was standing in between his legs and smiled down at him. He reflected her face as she leaned down to kiss him. He leaned back on the bed, pulling her with him so she was sitting in his lap as they kissed. When he started tugging at her hair tie she pulled back, shaking her head with a smile while he pouted.

"I have to go."

"No." He groaned. "Stay."

"Jace." She kissed him again before climbing up. "I'll see you later."

He sighed, standing up from the bed to follow her out the door. She grabbed her bag from where it was waiting by the door and headed towards her car. He followed, the cold air brash against his bare chest and ground cold against his bare feet. She threw her bag across the consul and turned the car out. Cold air blew from the heaters as the car warmed up and he leaned against the car, one arm on the door and the other on top of the car.

"Bye Angel." He leaned down to kiss her.

She hummed against his lips until he pulled away. "Will you be here when I get back?"

"Of course." He gave her a quick kiss as he backed away, his hand on the door. "Love you."

"Love you too." She smiled at him as he closed the door and backed away as she put the car in reverse. He watched as she drove away, his hand in the air in a wave. She drove off towards the school and he headed back in her home, making his way to the kitchen to do the dishes. When he was finished he headed back to her room to pack her bag. He packed her toothbrush and hairbrush as well as some waterproof mascara, per her discretion and not his. He debated about purposely forgetting it but he knew she would just borrow Izzy's. He grabbed one of his t-shirts she had in a drawer and a pair of soft shorts for her to sleep in since he couldn't pack what he really wanted to see her in. He did have liberty on her bikinis though, one for today and another for tomorrow. His girlfriend was down right gorgeous at all times but he honestly couldn't handle it when so much skin was showing. He grabbed three of them for her drawer, mindful of the fact that he wouldn't be the only who would get to see her in them.

He zipped the bag up, throwing an extra t-shirt in just to be safe and placing at the bottom of her bed before climbing back into her bed. Since he could not have her with him, he supposed being in her bed surrounded by her scent would have to do. With his alarm set for 2 so there was no chance he would sleep through going and getting her he fell asleep quickly. His long nap was cut short a couple hours later when a body flew on top of him.

"What." He shot up in bed, his hand rubbing at his eyes. "Clary?"

A male's laugh reached his ears and he looked over to see Jon laying on the bed wearing his shit eating grin. The same one that adorned Clary's face from time to time.

"It's only 11, bud. You've still got a couple hours."

Jace socked him on the arm, hard.

"Damn." Jon rubbed his arm. "What was that for?"

"Earlier in the kitchen." Jace stuck his tongue out at him.

"I'm going to let that go." Jon glared at him. "For now. What do you want to do?"

"Sleep." He shut his eyes again.

"Want to go to the gym?"

Jace thought about it for a second. He had not planned on lifting a single finger all break but he found that he actually missed working out. He already felt weaker and more lethargic, a combination of his laziness and the good food he never appreciated fully before he left. And what else was he going to do while they waited for Clary and Izzy to finish school.

"Yeah, just give me a sec." He slowly sat back up, rubbing his eyes. "I've got to go back to my house."

Jon let out an exaggerated gasp. "What? The horror?"

Jace shoved him, climbing out of bed. "Oh, can it. You coming?"

"Oh babe, couldn't keep me away." Jon teased, walking back through the bathroom and into his own room.

Jace slowly made his way out the house with Jon trailing noisily behind him through their combined yards. No one was home at his either as he walked to his room to pull on a pair of shorts and joggers, he would end up taking his shirt off anyways. He filled a water bottle at the kitchen sink before grabbing his car keys and heading out the door.

He slid into the driver seat and put his sunglasses over his eyes. Jon slid into the passenger seat, his own glasses on. The gym was a ten minute drive away from their houses but it had everything you could need. And a sauna which meant that there was no way that he was leaving without spending some time in it. Three songs later and he was pulling into the parking lot and parking as close as he could.

"Hey guys!" The front desk man greeted them. "It's been a while."

Jon grinned, leaning over the desk to greet him. He could be quite charming when he wanted to be. "We haven't been home for months."

The guy whistled. "Sounds intense."

"It is." Jace added, leaning over the desk too, not wanting to be out charmed. "But since we're here on our week off I guess we really do like it after all."

"Yeah, congrats on the win. Our town's so proud."

"We know." Jon smiled with his teeth this time. "We saw the banner in front of the school the other day, it meant a lot."

"Its not every day that you have two players win a national championship from your town." The young man took their cards to swipe them in. "Go on in."

"Thanks." They walked through the doors and to the weights on the opposite side. Their were a lot of ladies running on the treadmill during their lunch breaks and a group of girls undoubtedly on their own winter break. Other than that it was rather empty which is the way they preferred it. There would be no one to interrupt them as they went or lines to weight in for the machines they needed.

They started at the bench press, lifting weight on the smaller side without a lot of reps, it was a break after all. They went hard enough to break a sweat but not much more than that.

"Do you seriously not even notice them?" Jon asked him from where he spotted him as he squatted.

"What? Who?" Jace asked, breathing out as he straightened back up only to go back down.

"The girls that have steadily been getting closer to us and sticking out their asses more than usual."

"Oh, no." Jace breathed out again, going down for his last time. "Do you?"

"There's not a man who wouldn't." Jon said, helping Jace put the bar back where it went.

Jace rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Are you encouraging me to look at other girls' asses other than your sister's?"

Jon made a face. "First of all don't talk about my sister's ass in front of me ever again. Second of all, I wouldn't say encouraging just wondering. Girls hardly look at me twice when I'm with you after they see you and its always so funny to me because you never even notice them."

Jace shrugged, helping Jon pick up the bar on the rack before stepping back so Jon could do his own thing.

"Well no one holds a candle to Clary, why waste my time looking?" Jace asked, not looking for a reply.

Jon of course ignored the subtle hint to stop talking. "Just look over there and tell me what you see."

Jace rolled his eyes before glancing to the right. There were two girls much closer than the rest wearing gray leggings and squatting real low.

"Looks painful for their knees and back." Jace commented, turning back to Jon.

It was a good thing he did because Jon let out a laugh and almost fell over. Jace stepped forward to help straighten the bar before placing it back on the rack.

"Alright, I'm done." Jon announced, moving to sit on the bench. "I'm ready to hit the sauna." Jace grinned over at him, wiping his face with the shirt that he had ditched a while ago.

"Same, now move your fat ass so I can put the bench back." He shoved Jon off the bench and on to his feet.

"Alright, alright, I'm moving." Jon laughed, running his hand through his hair.

Jace pushed the bench back in as Jon went to go refill his water bottle. One of the girls came up to him while he sat on the bench, fishing through his bag for his water bottle.

"Hi." She said, shooting him a smile. Jace supposed she wasn't bad looking, just not who he wanted her to be.

He smiled, amused. "Hi." He finally found his water bottle and pulled it out so he could squirt into his mouth.

"You go to Ohio State?" She asked, referring to his gym bag with the OSU logo on it.

He nodded his head.

"Some of my friends go there, do you like it?" She asked, brushing her hair behind her ear and looking up in what he assumed she thought was an innocent look.

"It's alright." He shrugged, wanting her desperately to leave now.

"It must be exciting with the recent win." She continued.

"You can say that." He zipped his bag up, making to move.

"Could I get your snapchat?" She asked, undeterred by his disintrest.

"I've got a girlfriend." He replied, standing up finally and shouldering his bag.

The girl pouted, obviously not used to being turned down. "She doesn't have to know, what if you get bored of her?"

He laughed at that, walking away. "That's never going to happen." He said over his shoulder.

Thankfully she did not follow and he never looked back as he finally made it to the locker room. He set his bag down before entering the sauna where Jon was waiting for him.

"Get lost?" He teased.

"No, that girl came up to me." He drank some more water, relaxing against the wall behind him. "Wanted my snapchat."

Jon laughed. "Let her down easy?"

"Told her I had a girl already." Jace shrugged, closing his eyes. "Which reminds me, what's going on with that girl at school?"

Jon sighed, leaning his head back as well. "Her name is Kaelie. She's nice enough and pretty enough but she's a little more high maintenance than I think I could handle."

"How so?" Jace asked.

"She wants attention all the time and needs reassurance constantly. I'm not looking for something like that, at least not right now."

"Any good qualities?" Jace prompted.

"Sex. Really good sex, maybe the best I've ever had." He said with a slight laugh. "And that is not an excuse to start talking about your sex life with my sister. "

Jace snorted. "Like it would be anything short of amazing."

"Shut up." Jon said, warning him.

"Okay, okay." Jace out his hands in the air, a smirk on his face. "No talking about me and Clary."

"I don't know, I think I'm done talking." Jon said.

"I promise." Jace paused. "And I think you should go for it. You've never been in a relationship before, at least a serious one, and you'll never know what you're looking for unless you find out what you're not looking for."

"And I get that." Jon paused, searching for the right words. "I'm just at a cross roads right not. I really like where we're at but she doesn't. She told me before she left for break that she either wants to give us a shot or we're going to stop because she doesn't want a casual relationship right now and she'd go somewhere else if she had too. I just don't know if that's what I want."

Jace nodded. "How many girls have you been with since we came to college?"

"She's the second." He shrugged. "Sixfth overall."

Jace nodded. He's been with three girls other than Clary himself. He had been a horny fifteen year old who was willing to do anything to get over his feelings for his neighbor at the time. Nothing worked, not that he had really expected it too. Luckily, he was quick to realize they weren't what or who he wanted and he decided he'd just wait for her to come around. Even if it took the rest of his high school career, maybe longer. Or at least until she became seriously involved with someone else.

Thankfully he didn't have to wait to long, she had noticed the change he made and it lead her to give him a chance five months after he made the decision to wait. And then he got the chance to be with her six months after that on his sixteenth birthday. It was a day he doesn't think he'd ever be able to forget. She had been fifteen and a half then and just as every bit as beautiful as the last time he had her. They had learned a lot together and it was one of his biggest regrets that she had not been his only one. But she had been the best, it was barely even a competition.

"Is she good because it's her, or is good because she knows what she's doing?"

"She knows what she is doing." Jon said though he was hesitant. "And it's not like I don't like the pillow talk with her, I guess I just don't know. I could go a month without seeing her and never think of her again."

Jace nodded. "I guess you won't know unless you try."

"I think I would, maybe, but there's this other girl." He broke off, sounding hesitant.

Jace opened his eyes to look at his best friend and gauge what was going on his head. "What's up?"

"There's this girl in a lot of my classes and she's probably the most gorgeous girl I've ever seen. And she's really fucking cool too."

"What's she like?" He asked, still gauging Jon's responses.

"She's a red head and you know us Morgenstern men love our red heads." He referred to his father and grandfather who had both married redheads.

"So do us Herondales." Jace grinned, despite the fact that his birth mom was a blonde.

"Her hair isn't like Clary's. It's so much darker and it's straight and it's just so pretty."

Jace grinned. Jon always teased him when he talked like that, and look who was saying it now.

"And she knows my name and who I am and that made me happy. And than I was like, what the fuck, why does that make me happy?"

"What'd she say?"

"Just wished me luck before classes ended for Christmas break."

"What's the problem?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're generally not too shy when it comes to women."

"Oh. Well, she makes me nervous as Hell first of all. And second of all I always see her with Meliorn. Like everywhere."

"Meliorn?" Jace's eyebrows shot up. "Our teammate Meliorn?"

"Yeah, the very same." He said dryly. "And that's a big no no."

Jace whistled. "Have you ever seen any indication that they were a couple?"

"Well no , but they're always together."

"Clary and Simon are always together." Jace reasoned.

"It's just the way he looks at her."

"Again, that's what people said about Clary and Simon." Jace said, though with a scowl this time. Rat-face wasn't his favorite person in the world.

"I don't know." Jon shrugged, sounding defeated.

"I take back what I said about going for it with Kaelie, I don't think that would be fair to her." Jace said.

"I know." He sighed. "I think I'm going to end that."

Jace nodded, closing his eyes again, thinking of what to say. He had been in love with Clary for so long he did not remember what it felt like not to be. It was hard for him to remember fighting for her and deciding what to do about his feelings. He had felt similar to Jon at one point, scared out of his mind. But Jon had ended up being the one to give him the final push to go for it.

It was a big gamble for Jace to lay his feelings out on the line with Clary as she hid hers so well. Izzy had known about his feelings and had tried to get Clary to tell her to no avail. She shied away from the topic at all times and it ate away at Jace. He would be devastated if she did not feel the same way and elated if she did, not knowing was driving him nuts. He over-analyzed every interaction they had, trying to get a read or anything really that clued him on her feelings. And he was driving himself and everyone around him mad that summer with his constant mood changes.

Jon had sat next to him in the hammock and told him that you only had control over one thing in life and that was your actions. You could decide to take it or not. You could react smartly or poorly. You could sit and silence and let things happen or you could make them happen. No matter what course you took you were ultimately responsible for everything in your life. You would either regret acting or not acting. But at least with acting you could say you tried. And you never wanted to look back on life and wonder what if.

The talk had gave him enough courage to walk in her bedroom and spill his guts like a seventh grade girl while she sat there. She had gone from confused to amused as she watched him stumble over his confession before she pitied him enough to kiss him. It was easy after that. He now had the confirmation that where she might not like him as much as he liked her there was hope that one day she might. And Jon could have that too, if he took his own advice.

"It's scary." Jace finally found his words. "To risk such a private part of you. But the reward is so much greater than the risk. You once told me that it is better to look back on life knowing you tried than to look back on life wondering what could have happened if you had. She could be telling her best friend all about you right now, whether in a positive way or a negative way, who knows. The point is, you will never know unless you try."

"Easier said than done." Was all he said.

"Anything that's worth it often is." Jace said in response, knowing the conversation was done.

They sat in a comfortable silence for another ten minutes, both thinking to themselves. Jace's thoughts on how happy he was that he tried with Clary and how awesome it turned out for him. Jon's on whether or not he should try, rejection was a scary thing but love was a happy thing.

"Ready?" Jace asked, opening his eyes again. The comfortable heat was turning uncomfortable and he was ready to go back outside.

"Yeah." He pushed himself to his feet.

They walked to his car and drove home, stopping for food at Wendys. Wendys was highly underrated in their opinion, the 4 for 4 being the best deal in the history of fast food. They took it to go before driving the rest of the way and pulling into his driveway. The house was still empty as they began eating his food at the table counting down the minutes till he was with Clary again.

It went by fast enough. Jon had headed home after lunch and before Jace knew it he was driving over to the Fray's with his bag in the back, ready to drive to Kalahari. Izzy was also in the car. She had gotten home from school, ran through the house to grab her bag and a quick snack, before climbing into the back of the car.

"You ready!" Jon asked, excited as he opened the passenger door to climb in.

"Always." Jace took his eyes off of Clary as she locked the front door behind and turned towards Jon.

Kalahari was like an adult playground to the two. Clary and Izzy often waded in the wave pool and the lazy river while the two of them wreaked havoc on the rest of the park.

"You're not going to ditch me for my sister?" Jon asked as Clary made her way to the car.

"I'm sure they'll keep up with us for an hour or two before they want to hit the hot tub just like always and leave us to ride every ride on our own." Jace grinned over at Jon, shooting a wink at Izzy behind him.

The door opened as Jon took the aux and found their road trip playlist. Clary slid in the car and pecked Jace's cheek, a large smile on her face.

"Sometimes I feel like we're interrupting them." Izzy told Clary when she was buckled.

"I know the feeling." Clary rolled her eyes teasingly. "Sometimes I feel like I'm the third wheel with these two."

"Do you need a moment, we can step outside." Izzy offered. "I know you haven't seen each other in an hour."

"Nah, the sooner we get there the sooner I can see this babe without a shirt." Jon winked over at Jace.

"Right back at you, Angel." Jace blew him a kiss. A kiss that Jon pretended to catch

"Wow, I'm hurt." Clary pouted from the back seat. "I thought I was the only one you called angel."

Jace winked at her through the rear view mirror as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Aw it's not his fault Clary." Jon turned in his seat to look at her. "I mean, have you seen my face."

"Aw Jonny." She mocked. "That's why I was confused."

"I'm cute." Jon looked over at Jace and demanded. "I'm cute right, tell her I'm cute."

"You're cute." Jace reassured him. "Just not as cute as Clary." He winked at Clary.

"What about me?" Izzy asked, pulling her nose out of her phone for the first time. "I'm plenty cute."

"Of course you are." Clary reassured her, leaning over to wrap her arm around her. "You are my best friend, after all."

"Maybe we should just date." Iz suggested, leaning her head on Clary's. "I'm sure I'd be a better boyfriend then Jace."

"Hey." Jace protested. He was a great boyfriend, or at least he tried to be.

"Why haven't we thought of this before?" Izzy asked, ignoring him. "All the time we've wasted."

"We will be living together next year." Clary smiled. "Jace wouldn't even have to know and he's away at college anyways."

"I'm a great boyfriend." Jace said. "Right Jon?"

"I wouldn't say great." Jon shrugged. "You spend more time moping about how much you miss your girlfriend than you do being with me."

Jace rolled his eyes. "We've talked about this, it's just a cover."

"Not if you're doing it when we're alone in our room and you're staring at your phone, waiting for it to ring." Jon looked towards Iz. "Is Clary that bad?"

Iz shook her head. "She's a private moper, she acts all happy when she's with us and the moment she thinks we're not looking she becomes sad."

Jace looked through the mirror to see Clary with her eyes closed, a small smile on her face. He frowned, not liking the sound of that. He had always thought that she was doing better than him and that had always helped him feel better about leaving.

"Didn't know you noticed." Clary responded, her eyes still closed.

Izzy snorted. "I'm your best friend. I know it all."

"Please." Jon cut in, trying to lighten the mood. "Everyone knows I am her best friend."

It was Jace's turn to snort. "Yeah right."

"You're all my best friends." She said, sounding resigned. "I love you all in very different ways."

"You just love me the most." Iz said, her head still resting on Clary's. She sent a wink at him through the mirror and he grinned. Everyone in the car knew that Jace was undoubtedly the one she loved most. Even Clary, even if she did not want to say it out loud.

"Sure Iz." Clary said, sounding tired.

They had only been on the road for a couple minutes, still over an hour left in the drive. He turned the music up a little so that she could sleep and not be distracted if anyone started talking. Iz had her head resting on Clary's, her eyes closed. Jon's phone was out, a smile on his face. Jace looked around the car, a smile forming on his own face.

Clary and Izzy were fast asleep by the time they got on the highway and Jon, too had his eyes closed. Jace drove in silence, taking the time to think.

It was Thursday and he had another three days before he had to go back to school. That was three more days before he had to say goodbye to Clary and give her up for another couple weeks.

He knew she was planning on coming up in a couple weekends to spend his birthday with him as it fell on a Saturday and the that thought alone was what was going to get him through the next couple of weeks. It had taken him a long time to get used not seeing her everyday, months in fact, but in less than a week he was already used to being with her again. He wasn't looking forward to relearning the painful lesson when he went back.

She was just so important to him in so many aspects of his life. She was his lover, his best friend, his confidant, his girl, his everything. And he missed her so desperately, so deeply. Sometimes, when it was really bad, it was hard for him to breathe.

His eyes flickered to the mirror again, reassuring himself that she was still there. She was, looking as adorable as always. He smiled to himself, living in the present and not the future. He wasn't going to waste precious time missing her when he had her.

An hour later he pulled into the resort's parking lot, snagging a close parking spot as a car left. Clary and Iz were still asleep but Jon had woken up after only twenty minutes on the highway. They had talked about stupid things like what their friends were probably up to and what was going to happen next season.

Jon got out of the car as Jace turned around in his seat, shaking Clary's knee. "Babe, we're here."

Her eyes slowly opened, looking at him through half lidded eyes. "Already?" She questioned, moving as Iz sat up too. They both look exhausted.

"Yeah." He smiled at the two. "Let's go check in."

They nodded, stretching before taking their seat belts off. Jace got out of his seat, opening Clary's door and helping her out. She was unsteady on her feet and fell into him laughing.

"Sorry." She giggled, smiling up at him.

"Not a problem, angel." He leaned down to kiss her softly. It didn't work out very well as she let out a laugh.

"I think you've ruined that nickname." She smiled up at him.

He pouted. "That was my favorite one."

"Maybe you shouldn't have used it on my brother." She teased, leaning up to kiss him.

"Sorry, love." He dropped his lips to her forehead. "I love you."

She nudged his chin with her nose. "I love you, too."

He smiled, letting her go and grabbing their bags. Unfortunately that meant he didn't have a hand to grab hers and was stuck with watching her skip off with Izzy. Jon fell in step with him, Izzy's bag in his one of his hands with his in the other.

"Girls." He grumbled as they walked hand in hand across the bridge.

"Gotta love them." Jace smiled, running to catch up with them. He heard Jon sigh as he followed.

The line moved quickly as it was mid day on Thursday and they received their room keys, but left Maryse and Robert's for them to pick up themselves. There'd be no way for them to give them their keys once they were in the park with no phones. Together they walked up to their room and plopped on their beds.

Clary snuggled in his arms as Jace laid there with a smile. Jon was changing in the bathroom as Izzy waited her turn. Jace was more than happy to wait his turn, happy just to be there. Jon came out and flopped down on his back on the bed next to them, his phone hovering over his face in his swim trunks. Jace closed his eyes and pulled Clary tighter in his arms. She let him, her own eyes closed.

"All yours." Izzy announced when she stepped out of the bathroom.

Jace groaned, not ready to get up. He had spent the last two hours in Clary's company and not able to touch her. Clary slipped out of his arms and into the bathroom. Jace watched her go, realizing that he was going to be in her company soon and not be able to touch her the way he really wanted and groaned again.

His face was buried in the pillow until she came out, telling him it was his turn for the bathroom. He didn't want to look at her. He doubted she was wearing anything over her bathing suit and he did not think he could handle it right now.

"Babe." Her hands ran through his hair as she prompted him to get out of bed for her. "We want to go down."

He listened to her, lifting his head up and catching sight of her in her red one piece. It looked innocent enough from the front, even though he could see the edge of the shamrock on her hip, but he knew that it had a little to no back to speak of. And his memory was proved correct when she turned around and he could see every bit of her back. Her spine bumpy against her skin, the skin freckly, white, and perfect as she walked away from him.

"Are you trying to kill me?" He whispered in her ear, his arms wrapping behind her from where she stood in front of the mirror at the sink outside the bathroom.

"You picked it out, remember?" She said, leaning forward to coat her lashes with the black gunk he had brought for her. Her ass pushed into him and he buried his head in her shoulder.

"Well sorry I forgot how fucking sexy my girlfriend is." He grumbled.

"Am I not normally sexy?" She teased, blinking around the bush.

"You are, but I can normally distract myself with how adorable you are at all times. Now, that word doesn't even come to mind." His hands gripped her hips. The hips that he knew so well but couldn't do with what he wanted until later. Maybe, he might even have to wait until he got her home.

"hmm." She leaned back in his arms and somehow her ass was still pressed against him. "Sure."

"It's true." He kissed her neck right at the junction where it met her shoulder, sucking a little. "And it's all mine."

She let him kiss her neck for a couple seconds before she moved away from him. "Go change."

He sighed, grabbing the bag she held out for him and slipping into the bathroom. He grabbed the first pair of trunks he had and pulled them on, taking his hoodie off to reveal his torso. Sadly the Ohio winter had made him lose a little of his tan but he was still rather golden, the blank ink standing out against his pec and his hip bone. They were small but rather noticeable against is skin.

He shook his hair out and exited the bathroom, dropping his bag and rejoining Clary on the bed. She had a slight bruise on her neck now where he had been kissing her earlier with no chance of covering it. It made him smile. He flopped down between her outstretched legs so he was laying with his back to her chest.

"Hello." She mused, her hands smoothing out his hair.

He smiled over his shoulder at her, grabbing her wrist to snap her wrist band around it. She returned the favor, placing a kiss to his wrist and letting it drop limp to their side.

"Ready to go?" Clary asked everyone, her legs moving on either side of him. He rubbed circles on her knees with his hands, feeling the smooth skin.

"Yeah!" Jon jumped out of his chair and practically ran to the door. "Let's go."

They all ran after him, their phones forgotten in their rooms. Clary ran with her hand in Jace's a wide smile on her face. His face copied her smile, laughing as the four of them ran through the halls. This was going to be fun. It was like a mini vacation with his favorite people. They stopped running when they reached the entrance way, walking through the locker rooms to come out in the park. It was warm and happy.

Clary grabbed his hand and pulled him along to the back corner where the best slides were. He followed her, Jon and Iz behind him. The park was rather empty as it was a week day and he thanked God that their parents were chill and okay if they missed school. They climbed the many stairs until they reached the tiny line and he leaned against the rail, bringing Clary into his chest.

They moved like that, all talking until they got to the front of the line. The man pulled the tube out and helped them get in, taking Izzy and Clary in appreciatively. Jace resisted the urge to put his hand on her hip or glare at him. Instead he helped her sit down, smiling as she squirmed away from the water on her dry body. The guy pushed the tube and let them go.

They hurtled down the dark tunnel, shrieking in delight. His hand found Clary's in the air and he squeezed it, yelling out in joy with his best mates. Jon and Izzy's laughter was echoing with theirs through the tunnel, happiness radiating off of them. Jace loved his life. He loved his life because his life was loved. And when they exited the tunnel and he caught sight of his sister, best friend, and his girlfriend he hoped that nothing would ever change, except maybe the long distance thing because that sucked.


	5. Chapter 5

Jon woke up to a quiet room, the fan sitting idle in the corner which never happened. Jace couldn't sleep without a fan, a trait that Clary had picked up too. Not that that was something he liked to think about.

He looked over at his best friend. Jace was a bit of a neat freak. He didn't like clutter and he was a bare minimalist. The sight of his bed right now would give him hives.

The comforter was hanging on the ground with multiple pillows next to it. Jace was passed out on his bed in his jeans from yesterday but no shirt. His shoes were still on and his phone was not on the charger as it normally was.

It was Jace's birthday now and the boys had convinced him to get drunk off his ass last night. They had practice tomorrow so they couldn't tonight so they settled for ringing in his birthday and not ringing out his birthday.

Jace drank a descent amount in high school but since he had came to college he had been pretty reserved. And with the high alcohol tolerance he had built up it took a lot to get him wasted. Which meant he had a lot of alcohol running through his veins right now and would undoubtedly be feeling it when he woke up.

Jon had stayed pretty sober the whole night. Not enough to drive or anything but enough to stop them from doing any crazy shit. Well, Jace had done something crazy but it was when Jon had went to the bathroom for a minute. Literally a minute. He had went back to the dance floor and Jace was gone along with two others.

He had come back an hour later smiling wide and boasting about his new tattoo. So now Jon had a drunk Jace that night to take care of and a pissed off Clary to deal with the next day. Jon hasn't gotten the chance to see it but he knew that it had everything to do with Clary. And it was probably her name. But he'd let Jace deal with the repercussions of his own actions.

Jon pulled his phone to him and saw that he had a missed call from Clary along with some text messages from people. He smiled when he saw one from Seelie. He had gotten the courage to ask for her snapchat the week they came back from break and then somehow they had exchanged numbers and now they were always talking. He also had found that her and Meliorn were indeed just best friends, much to Mel's discretion. He managed to avoid thinking about that too long, it made him feel like a bad friend.

 _this dude just bumped into a door and spilled coffee all over himself and i'm a terrible person for laughing._ sent at 8:02.

She was at work and texting him, a fact that made him extremely happy. Last night he had wished her a good night in the middle of club as she had work the next morning that she really did not want to go to hungover. And she had continued the conversation in the morning and good God he felt like a middle schooler again.

 _don't worry, i would have laughed too-11:48._ He expected a teasing response at the fact he had slept so late.

She didn't, but she did respond right away.

 _lol, is your sister there yet?- 12:01_

 _Shit! She called me a while and I haven't gotten back to her yet- 12:01_

He went to his recent calls and pressed Clary's name. She answered on the second ring, her voice cheerful in his ear.

"Hey big brother!" She said.

"Hey Clare-bear." Jon said, a smile on his face. He didn't want to wake Jace so he got out of his bed and walked out the door, letting the door shut with a bang. opps.

Jace jolted awake, not realizing why. The room was silent but it still felt to loud in his head. He blindly reached for his water that was on his bedside container. He chugged it quickly, spilling some down his front. He felt gross and tired as he flopped back down on his bed. His side was aching and he wondered what the hell he did last night.

His microwave clock read 12:06. Clary had been planning on leaving around 11. He sat up and looked at the mess, he had an hour to fix himself and the room. He stretched and his side ached again. His memories came rushing back of the night before and he remembered laying on a bed with the sound of a tattoo needle behind him.

 _Fuck._ He thought. He could not remember what he got and he wondered how a tattoo artist had let someone so drunk get a tattoo. Though, he was really good at acting sober when he needed to be. He was a quiet drunk after all.

Jon was not laying in his own bed and Jace wondered where he went off too. They always ate together so Jace assumed he was not eating and there was no practice or anything that they had to go to. Jace rubbed his face, they could take care of themselves.

Jace finally convinced himself to get out of bed, his phone falling off the bed and on the floor. It was dead. He plugged it in and went to stand in front of the mirror to do some damage control. His hair was a disaster and he just looked so used. He wanted nothing more then to take a long, hot shower. Until he remembered he had a fresh tattoo on his side and he had to take cold showers. Not that he even knew what he got.

Speaking of the tattoo, he shifted to the side so he could see his side. There was a bandage over it still, not a good sign. Tattoos were supposed to be able to breathe so they did not dry out. Thankfully no blood had soaked through the wrapping which meant he had least cleaned it last night. Not that he knew what it was.

Carefully, he ripped off the bandage and grinned when he saw the tattoo. Drunk Jace was smart Jace. Clary would probably kill him but he liked it. He washed it quickly before putting a dab of lotion on it so it would not dry up. Then he took a rather cold shower and kept it out of the water as much as possible. Thankfully this had not been his first tattoo because he never would have known how to take care of it.

He wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out. Jon was still absent, their room still a mess. Jace sighed, making his bed quickly and sitting on top of it once it was. His phone was back on, dozens of messages from various people on the lock screen. Most wished him a happy birthday but he ignored them all in favor of Clary's. He had three from her. The first one was long, his birthday text.

 _Happy birthday baby! I love you so much and can not wait to see you later. I am so grateful to be a part of your life and have a front row seat in watching you grow and succeed. Thank you so much for loving me even when I did not love you and for giving me the chance to come to my senses. I am so proud to be your girlfriend and of the person you are becoming. I can not wait to see you later, but even more than that, I can not wait to see you everyday at college next year. I am so ready to be done with distance and back with you. I love you so much, my cute boy, and I can not wait to be back in your arms later today. And to celebrate your birthday with you tonight. Love you so v much-10:34_

Jace put his hand over his heart, feeling it beat rapidly against his hand at her words. He could not wait to see her. He moved to the other two messages.

 _I'm leaving now, i'm assuming you're asleep so let's hope one of your two hotshots is up when I get there. Call me when you wake up!-11:03_

 _Just talked to Jon, thankfully he's awake because i'm not sure you'll be up for the rest of the semester. Call me when/if you do. love you-12:15_

His other text messages could wait, he decided, and he called her. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Hey."

"Hey angel." He smiled into the phone, leaning against the wall.

"How you feeling?" She asked, her voice music to his ears.

"Better. I showered and cleaned a little and now I feel less..." He paused, trying to find the right word. "...Grimy."

"That's good." She said. "Interesting night then?"

He smirked. "You could say that. I did something last night-" He trailed off, wanting her to guess.

"What?" She laughed. "Did you break something? Jump off a roof? On to a table?"

He smiled to himself and her trust in him. "Not quite, I got a tattoo."

"Oooo." She said, sounding excited. "What did you get?"

"Guess." He told her, his fingers running in a circle around his tattoo.

"I know you wanted a constellation next, did you get that?"

She was so cute. "Not quite."

"Then what?" She asked, thinking.

"Your name." He said, grinning.

She groaned. "You didn't."

"Oh angel, I did." He said. "You know that letter you wrote me?"

"The love letter?" She asked. He always wrote her letters in high school and slipped them in her locker. One day in early October when it had been almost two months since he had seen her he had checked his mailbox to find a letter from Clary. Once he read it once, twice, one hundred times he folded and put it in his wallet for whenever he wanted to read it which was at least once a week. He had also face timed her so she could see the tears that had fallen from his eyes and the joy on his face. My God had he missed her then. And now.

"The very same." He smiled, all teeth. "I got the signature on my side with a halo around the C."

"A halo? Because I'm your angel?"

"Yeah." He breathed. "Are you mad?"

He had wanted to get her name the moment he turned 18. He had wanted it when he was 16 but he knew Maryse would not go for that. Clary had put her foot down though, saying it felt like a jinx. He had argued that it was really only an outward symbol of an inward feeling. She still did not approve so he agreed to wait. Apparently drunk Jace had been done waiting.

"No." She breathed back. "How could I?"

"Well I know you weren't a fan of it the last time I brought it up."

"Yeah, but I'm more touched than anything else right now. Did drunk Jace bring the letter with him with the intent?"

"Oh angel." He laughed. "The letter is in my wallet, I don't go anywhere without it."

He was met with silence and his laughter slowly died out. "Babe?" He whispered. "You okay?"

She sniffled quietly and her voice came out kind of choked. "Yeah."

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice soft. "You sound sad."

"Not at all." She said . "I just don't know what to say."

"Anything, I'm always here to listen to you."

"I love you so much and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving you."

He grinned. Happy. "There's nothing you or anyone else could ever say or do that would make me stop loving you."

"I love you." she sniffed.

"Now when are you getting here? I need you."

"Twenty minutes, probably less. But you're going to have to wait, it's your birthday."

"I think that should allow me to have you and a bed and nothing else all day."

"Are you saying you only need me in your bed?"

He knew she was teasing but he couldn't even pretend. "If you told me tomorrow that you never want to have sex again, which please don't, I would still be with you. And I would still love you. And I would never be unfaithful. Because I would have everything I want. I want you, and only you. But again, please don't."

"I don't think I could ever do that to you or me." She responded.

"Good, because I need you."

"Well you're in luck. I have two presents. And one involves black lace, three scarfs, and a roommate free room."

"Three? Why three?" He asks. Two and four he gets but 3? Not so much.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

"And the other gift?"

"I'm going to go now, I'll see you soon." She said, laughing.

"I love you." He responds.

"I love you too." She hangs up.

He smiles to himself as he responds to his other birthday wishes and even gives his mom a quick call. It was shorter than she would probably have liked but he still needed to finish cleaning and get dressed.

Once the room is spotless once more he pulls on Clary's favorite gray joggers of his and a long sleeve shirt from highschool. He slips his feet into a pair of high tops and his arms in to a brown jacket that everyone at college seems to own.

And than he calls Jon, sitting on the bed.

"Hello?" He answers.

"Where are you?"

"Getting Clary." He responds.

"I was going to come." Jace grumbles.

"Oh can it. You'll get her all day because it's your birthday and she has no excuse for you when you tell you're not leaving her side all night. Let me have a few minutes with my sister before you steal her."

Jace reluctantly agrees. "Fine."

"Good, now meet us for lunch." And than he hangs up, Clary's voice appearing in the background.

Jace gets out of his bed and quickly smooths it back over before editing his room. He surprises people as he greets them with smiles and waves.

"Clary here?" Will asked when they run into each other.

He nods. It was obvious really.

"Bring her over, we've missed her." Will said.

"No promises." Jace yells.

"Oh right, happy birthday." Will yells back.

"Thanks!" And than he gets in the elevator with a bunch of people he didn't know after yelling at a dude down the hall. Awkward.

Sebastian greets him when they meet on the first floor and pulls him in for one of those high five handshake hug things.

"Happy birthday man! How you feeling after last night?"

"Great." Jace responded, walking backwards. "Going to meet up with Clary."

Sebastian shakes his head. "Go get your girl. And bring around to say hi."

Jace pumps his fist in response, walking out the door and towards his girl.

Jon texted him where to meet them and that they were already there. It was only a five minute walk for Jace but he managed to make it even shorter, his body buzzing with excitment. His brain chanting her name over and over again.

They were already sitting down and the hostess led him to them. He saw Clary's hair first and smiled real wide, thanking the hostess and then hugging Clary when she reached him. He kissed her quickly.

"Happy birthday." She said, smiling widely.

"It is now." He kissed her again before taking his seat next to her in the booth. Jon was waiting with a grin.

"Happy birthday, man!" Jace smiled at him, happy.

"I'm so ready for today!" Jace said, grabbing the menu.

He always paid for Clary's meal and this was the one day a year he let them switch. She covered their food and he got their tip. And honestly, he hated it. They had a system really. He bought for her when they went out and she bought fast food, which was hardly expensive and something they did not do together too often. He bought the movie tickets and she bought the snacks. And they switched cars, though Jace often drove as Clary felt more comfortable in the passenger seat. And not paying on his birthday made him feel like he was dishonoring their system.

Especially because the Frays went all out for birthday dinners. And he always felt like he was sticking her with the bill. She always complained when he complained though so he would just suck it up. Like a good boy.

"Babe?" Clary asked, leaning her head on her his shoulder. "You okay? I lost you there for a moment."

He kissed her forehead. "Now you know how I feel."

She giggled. "Sorry."

"Don't be. You're cute."

"Gross guys." Jon reminded them. "Remember the PDA rule we made Sophmore year?"

Jace rolled his eyes. "Dude, that was three years ago."

"You're not married, doesn't count."

"Ooo." Clary said, lighting up. "That reminds me, can I see your tattoo?"

He nodded, taking his jacket off. The place they were at had high benches that you couldn't see over and no one was across from them. He turned to show her his right side and lifted up the shirt.

It was pretty. Jace had decided that much when he had stared at it for five minutes before he changed. Her handwriting was neat and curly, like her. The halo encircled the C and it was in gold. That had been his drunk touch but sober him loved it just as much.

"It was her name then?" Jon laughed. "You wouldn't tell me."

Jace was too busy looking at Clary's face as she reached her hand out to do more than laugh weakly in response. Her fingers touched around her name, a small smile on her face, mindful of the freshness.

"Maybe I should get one." She whispered so Jon couldn't hear.

He dropped his shirt and grabbed her hands, kissing them. "Whatever you want."

She already had the shamrock with her brother. She had been 17 and visiting their dad in California with Jon before he became a buckeye. They had convinced Valentine to sign the waivers for Clary and gotten them done. They were beautiful and they had managed to keep them from Jocie for three months. She had been pissed but got over it. It wasn't Jon's first after all. He had an alien head on his foot below the ball of his ankle that he got as a joke. And he shared the same one as Jace on their wrists. It was their zip code. A reminder of the home they had shared.

He kissed her once more before dropping her hands in favor of placing his hand on her pretty thigh. He flipped through the menu, finding the appetizers and entres. He was starving. He needed to replenish his energy.

"I have your present." Jon told him once the waitress had taken their orders. "And I want you to open it now."

Jace nodded, catching the package that Jon threw over. It was small and heavy but wrapped in a way Jace knew Jon couldn't. He glanced to Clary to see she was much more excited than curious. She already knew what it was.

He took off the paper to find a small velvet bag. Jace pulled the strings to open in and held it upside down before he smiled. It was a pocket watch with his three initials engraved in it. Jace had always wanted a pocket watch, thought they were a sign of sophistication and importance.

"Thanks man." Jace got out of the seat to give his best friend a hug.

"Happy birthday, brother." Jon smiled at him as they pulled back.

Jace slid back into the bench and slid the watch back into the bag. He pressed a kiss to Clary's temple as he was sure she did a little more than just wrap it before his hand settled back down on her thigh. Her hand came on top of it to squeeze it and he grabbed her fingers before she could retract her hand.

"What's the plan for today?" Jon asked the two.

Clary shrugged. "It's his birthday." She turned her head towards him. "It's up to you."

Jace nodded. "Well I want the room by 8." He winked at Jon, who made the most disgusted face he had ever seen. "Other than that, I honestly could not care less."

"First of all, ew." Jon said, shooting a dark glare at Jace who smirked in response. "But we can go back after we eat and see everyone. I know everyone wants to see you, Clary."

Jace nodded. That was fine with him. "Me." Clary laughed. "Shouldn't they want to see Jace?"

Jace snorted as Jon said. "Please, he's an asshole but they love you. They talk about you a lot."

She flushed and Jace pressed his lips to her cheek. "You're cute. Really cute."

She smiled, her cheeks turning even pinker. "Stop." She muttered, her head hanging down so her hair fell in front of her face.

"Why?" Jace brushed her hair back behind her ears. "Everyone loves you, you're like a witch."

Her smile turned soft and embarrassed. "A witch? I don't think it's a good idea to call your girlfriend a witch." She teased him, although it was only half-hearted.

"How else would I have been bewitched from the moment I saw you?"

"Because we're soul mates."

He smiled widely, leaning forward to kiss her. His hand cupped her cheek and he sighed. She pulled back after a few short seconds. Her eyes filtered towards Jon to see him pointedly staring at his phone. Jace kissed her again before pulling away completely.

"Still think you're a witch." Jace winked at her. She grabbed her drink to suck the water through the straw, her eyes on him. "Yeah." He breathed. "Definitely a witch."

"Thank God." Jon said as the waitress set their food in front of them. "You two disgust me."

"Sorry Jonny." Clary winced. "Just tell us to shut up next time."

Jon snorted. "Like that would stop your boyfriend. The kid knows no boundaries."

Jace shrugged, guilty. Clary was too irresistible for anyone's good. Her foot wrapped around his ankle since they needed both of their hands. He smiled over at her as she twisted her fork around her spaghetti. Her and her spaghetti, he shook his head. A lot of people's default meal was chicken tenders, hers was spaghetti. So was Jon's who was digging into his own plate. Jace had settled for a platter of appetizers, getting the best of both worlds. Chips and dip, mozzarella sticks, wings, and some quesadillas.

Clary put her fork down and grabbed her phone to take a quick video. She started on her own plate before showing Jon and than Jace. Jace smiled at the camera, ducking around it to place a kiss to her cheek as she laughed. He pulled back, a giant grin on his face and she put her phone down.

 _Happy Birthday to my cute boy_

She added some hearts that flickered before putting it on her story. He watched it, the sound on. Her giggle at the end made him smile and he wanted to listen to it over and over again.

"Can you send this to me?" He asked. She nodded and forwarded it to him before putting her phone down.

"I did not get this on my birthday." Jon pouted.

Jace said, "That's because you don't have a girlfriend."

At the same time Clary said, "It was the middle of the week and you were going to Wisconsin that weekend for a game."

Jon glared at Jace before smiling at Clary. "I know, I was just kidding. I did get an Instagram post after all."

And he had. It had been a picture of the two in matching pajamas from the previous Christmas that she had saved for his birthday. Jon had put up a fight about that picture but Jace knew that he low key dug the whole thing. And when you swiped you saw a picture of the two when they were little in matching pajamas in front of a Christmas tree. _Happy Birthday best friend_ she had captioned it. Most people called their siblings best friends or made up endless crap of the endless happiness they caused them but with Clary and Jon, they was nothing more true.

"I'll get one, too." He stuck his tongue out at Jon.

"Sure, but will yours be as cute, I think not."

She grinned. "Sorry Jon, we have more pictures to choose from."

Jon gasped, dramatically. He was chewing on his piece of garlic bread. "Clary, how dare you. I am your brother."

"And I'm her boyfriend." Jace countered, wrapping his arm around Clary's neck and bringing her to him so he could kiss her head.

"Stop." She whined. "I love you both."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Jace kissed her head again, knowing that arguing, even jokingly, about who she loved more made her uncomfortable. "We love you more than each other, too."

Jon nodded his head in agreement. "First correct thing he has said all day."

Jace pouted. "It is my birthday, give me today?"

Jon sighed. "You can have today."

Jace turned to Clary, wanting the same thing. She sighed, smiling. "Fine, you can be my favorite today."

He smiled, swooping in for a kiss. Pressing his lips against her a couple times before going back to his food. They talked about things that did not matter until their food was gone and their checks were paid. Clary had her car so they drove back to their dorm building and found a parking spot.

They walked into the building, Clary's hand in Jace's. Jon was wearing her backpack with a bag in his hand that was Clary's. He smiled at the people he knew as they passed them on their way to the dorm. Jem was in the laundry room and when Jon knocked on the glass he looked up with a wide smile at the three. He held up his finger, asking them to wait. They did, walking to the other side in front of the elevator and watched as he closed the washer door and fixed the setting before joining them.

"Hey Clare." Jem pulled his girlfriend into a side hug. "How's it going?"

"Good." She smiled up at him. "And you?"

Jem shrugged, a grin pulling at his lips. "Can't complain." He turned to Jon and clapped him on the back, pulling him in for a hug. "Happy birthday, bud."

Jace grinned, wrapping the arm that was not attached to Clary around his friend. "Thanks, man."

The elevator doors opened and they walked in. Two people he did not know walked in with them. Both were girls and glancing over at the three of them. Sometimes Jace wished Clary was a jealous girlfriend who liked to stake her claim, it would make him feel less crazy. Instead it fell on his shoulders to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her into his chest as he leaned against the wall. He kissed her forehead before resting his head on hers. Her hands gripped his sides and he breathed happily, glad to be so close to her.

Jem laughed as Jon rolled his eyes. Clary smiled into his chest and he did too, turning his head the other way to hide it against the elevator wall. The two girls were talking to one another in the corner but Jace paid them no mind. Instead he brought a hand up and down Clary's side, adapting himself with her body once again.

The elevator dinged and they got off on their floor, the girls staying in the elevator. Jace kept his arm around Clary's shoulder as they walked by the lounge only to stop when he saw was all sitting their.

"Hey guys!" Jem called, walking into the room.

They all looked away from the television and saw the four of them standing there. Clary had not met any of these guys the last time she was here, besides Jordan who smiled widely when he saw her.

"Hey Clare!" He ignored the other three.

She smiled shyly at him, leaning into Jace as he tightened his arms around her. There guys were not his favorite. They were teammates but not friends. Jon felt the same way as him.

"We'll see you later." He said, beginning to walk away. Jace and Clary followed him, hearing them behind them.

"That Jace's girl?" A voice asked.

"Yeah." Jem answered.

"She's cute." A different voice chimed in.

"He knows." Jordan said.

"No wonder he mopes all the time."

"I would, too, knowing that I had an ass that fine waiting at home for me."

Jon stopped turning the key, glaring down the hall.

"Hey! That's my sister you're talking about."

Clary rolled her eyes, pushing him through the door.

"Sorry Jon." Jem's voice came down the hall. "And Jace." Which was smart, because Jace was glaring down the hall too.

"What about me?" Clary called back, grinning at Jace. "Who gave anyone permission to talk about my ass?"

Jace laughed, closing the door behind them before they could hear their responses.

"In their defense, it's a fine ass." He said, squeezing it with his hands. "Even though it's mine."

"You mean it's mine." She countered, pushing into his hands regardless.

"No." He countered, kissing her forehead and removing his hands. "Because what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. Just like my ass is yours."

She shook her head and walked further into the room so she could jump on his bed. He followed her, climbing in behind her. Jon was sitting on his own bed, smiling at his phone.

"What you smiling at?" Jace teased, his arms around Clary as he grinned.

"None of your business." He responded, not looking up.

"Is it Seelie?" Jace asked, knowing that Jon had already filled Clary in when she had called him a couple days ago. They did not hold much from each other.

Jon looked up so that Jace could see him as he rolled his eyes. Clary reclined into him and laughed.

"He's just teasing Jon." Clary reassured him unnecessarily. "We're very happy for you."

Jon smiled at her. "I know, I'm just not ready to talk about it yet."

Clary nodded, smiling at her brother. "Well we're here when you're ready."

Jace nodded, all joking aside. He wanted his best friend to be as happy as him.

"I know." Jon answered simply, getting up from the bed. "The boys are in Bat's room, come on."

The two got up and followed Jon down the hall. Jon had barely moved his hand away from the door after he knocked when the door swung open and Will bypassed the two to pull Clary into a giant hug. She laughed, hugging him back.

"Clary!" He pulled back and pulled Jace into a big hug. "Jace." He did the same with Jon. "Jonny! Welcome, welcome."

He ushered the three in, Clary at the front and Jace at the back. He lost her for the next couple minutes, receiving his birthday wishes while she caught up with Will. He eventually made it back to her, picking her up and sitting down underneath him. She squealed, gripping his hands on her hips in surprise. He laughed, making himself comfortable on the futon with her above him.

Jordan came through the door next using his key and plopping down next to Jace. As Clary continued to talk to Will and Jem who joined them sitting on the floor, Jace talked to Jordan. Jordan was probably his favorite after Will and Jem who they were planning on rooming with in a suite the following year.

Jordan was cool and had recently gotten a girlfriend of his own. Jace did not realize how much he missed being friends with people in relationships because they just got it. Clary would never ask him not to go out because she truly did not mind or to cut back on drinking, even if he did not really drink anymore, there were just certain situations he never wanted to put himself into. The guys never understood. But Jordan and Will did. When you loved someone and they loved you, you never wanted to do something to jeopardize that.

"You have any plans for tonight?" Jordan asked, winking at him.

"Spend some alone time with my very beautiful girlfriend." He grinned back. "She said she brought scarfs."

Jordan smiled wider. "Good luck mate."

"I'll need it." Jace said seriously, he was excited for tonight. He did not know which way it would go. Who was going to be using the scarfs, he was excited either way. Maybe they'd both get their turn.

"Can't wait to see what's going to happen on my birthday next week."

Jace whistled. "I'm sure it'll be worth the wait."

"Me too." Jordan grinned widely. "Me too."

Clary shifted on his lap and his breath hitched. Her ass was pressing into him now and he wondered if she was doing it on purpose. As she leaned back on him he decided that she definitely was. That minx.

His hands gripped at her hips, a silent plea for her to stop, even if he did not want to.

"Huh?" She asked, turning a little in his lap.

"Clary." He said through gritted teeth. "Stop."

"Stop what?" She whispered innocently, leaning in to kiss him. He kissed her back, trying to stay under control. She pulled away, looking into his eyes. "I love you."

He smiled, nudging her nose with his. "Love you, too."

She moved again in his lap but this time in a way that relieved some of the pressure. He turned back to Jordan who was on his phone, most likely messaging Maia. Jace glanced at the time. It was almost 4. He figured 5 was a good time to sneak away with his girl for good. One more hour.

The hour dragged by. Clary was on his lap the entire time as they talked to people. Jon had snuck away to grab some things from their room and Jace knew that he had the room to himself whenever they were ready. When he had finally gotten her out of the room it was almost 5:30 and he mourned all the time he had lost.

As Jace entered the room he hooked up his phone to the blue tooth and played the soft music. And than he laid in her arms on the bed, kissing her neck. Their clothes were still on and that had to change. She stopped him before he could do more than lift the shirt off her and slid off the bed.

"Clary." He whined, reaching for her.

"Wait." She laughed, leaning in to kiss him. "I have my presents."

"We have all night." He muttered, bringing her back in his arms.

"Jace." She whined, not putting up much resistance as he started kissing her again.

"Clary." He nipped at her neck. "Come on, we've got time."

She sighed, climbing back in the bed with him. He continued to kiss her and undress her, pulling off his shirt and sliding off his jeans too. Clary laid on her back underneath him and he relieved the both of them of the pressure he had since she had gotten here this morning. Actually, since the phone call. And after, as they laid there, her on top of him as he rubbed her back he voiced his thoughts.

"I'm glad you would never take this away from me." He muttered, kissing her shoulder. "You're too good."

She smiled, kissing his neck. "I'm selfish, you're too good to me."

He hummed contently, happy and satisfied. It turned to a whine as she slid off of him again and pulled on her silky robe she brought from home. It was short and always open at the front to tease him. He watched as she bent over to grab his present before joining him again on the bed. She sat cross legged with the present in her lap, smiling widely at him. He sat up, smiling in return. He just could not help it.

"You've already spoiled the black lace." She smirked at him and his eyes flickered to the floor to see the two pieces of black lace that had made his heart race. "But I've still got some more."

"I love you." He leaned forwards to leave a lingering kiss on her lips.

"I love you, too." She shoved the package in his hands. "Now open."

He rolled his eyes and tore the package open. She had given him some clothes and a book for Christmas and he hated the idea of her spending money so close together on him. He smiled as he held one of the gifts in his hand. In was a leather bound copy of A Tale of Two Cities, his favorite book. It was a cool cover and he flipped it over in his hands. On the back was the quote, There is a wisdom of the head and a wisdom of the heart.

"Thank you." He kissed her again but she made an impatient noise, pulling away.

"Open the other one." She smiled adorably at him.

So he did. It was an envelope and as he slipped out the paper he came eye to eye with a sketch from her. On one side of the page was a moon and the other was a star, drawn in great detail by her. Just like all her other work, it was amazing.

"I know you just got a tattoo." She said, looking a little apprehensive for the first time. "But I was wondering if you wanted to go get one with me?"

He shook his head at her, putting the papers aside in favor of kissing her.

"I'd be honored." He said between kisses. "They're perfect."

"Good," She smiled as he kissed her. "You're coming home in two weekends, right?" He nodded. "I made appointments for us."

"I can't wait." He said, his hands untied her robe again to touch what she had wrapped up inside.

She leaned back in to him, her hands pushing him back. He let her, looking up as she pulled back. He watched as she leaned across the bed, her robe rising up to show him her delicious curves. She came back up with three scarfs and sat down on his chest in her bareness. He kept his eyes on her as she leaned forward to wrap the scarves around his wrists and the bed posts. Than she smiled at him, slipping the third scarf around his eyes.

It was like he went into a completely different world. Everything was ten times as sensitive as he could not see any of it happening. He was sure with anyone else he would have been too nervous to enjoy it, but he trusted Clary with his whole heart. That did not stop his arms from tugging at the bands as she moved on top of him, he wanted to touch her. To watch her.

When she lifted the scarf off his eyes much later and pulled the ends of the scarves so his hands were free he instantly flipped them, kissing her and putting his hands on her. He tied her hands above her, careful to keep them lose enough so she did not get hurt. He kissed her eyelids before wrapping the third scarf around her eyes.

"Relax." He whispered as he kissed her body. "I've got you."

And he did. He knew everything about her. What she liked and what she didn't like. She may have been the fourth person he was with but she was the one he had learned everything with. There was no part of her he did not know. He had her heart and her soul. Her mind and her body. Before her, he had not thought it was possible to be this close to a person. Sex had been fun he guessed, but it had been nothing to what he had with her. It was not just a physical act with her, it was everything. It made him feel good in his heart as well as body. It was something he never wanted to lose.

"I love you." He whispered, kissing her lips softly as they laid there under the sheets hours later. They had laid there and talked for some time, the music in the background, the fan now on.

He had watched her as she made his birthday post. It was a picture of Jace laying in a bed with one arm behind his head and the other on her thigh. He was smiling widely at Clary beyond the camera, a sheet tucked around them. The only part of her you could see was about a foot of her creamy and freckles thighs.

 _Love you forever and with all of me. Happy 19th._

She snuggled up to him, her body still completely bare. "I love you, too." She kissed him. "Happy birthday, baby."

He smiled into her hair. "Thanks Angel."

Her fingers found the tattoo on his body that was hers and traced around it. "You're my best friend." She whispered.

He grinned even wider. Take that Izzy and Jon. "You're mine, too. Never leave me." He whispered back.

"I don't think I ever could." She kissed his chest, her breathing evening out.

"It would kill me." He whispered into the darkness. "If you left me. I would die."

She did not respond, fast asleep.

"You're the love of my life, Clary." He muttered, his eye falling closed. "And I'm lucky to be in love with my best friend."

His eyes closed fully, his heart remained open. Open to the girl he was wrapped up in. Open only to the girl in his arms. She was the key, and if the key was lost, he would be too.


	6. Chapter 6

Jon grinned over at Jace who was lounging on the couch. They had come home for the weekend so Jace could get his tattoo and Jace was waiting impatiently for Clary to get home from school. She was running a little late, having left over ten minutes ago. He supposed she could have stopped somewhere to eat, though he was sure Jace's mind was jumping to the worst conclusions.

That kid. It was a little sick. But in a good way. And he kind of understood it now. Seelie made him happy and he understood why Jace was like that so often and he was not even in love with Seelie. He did not think that he could ever love anyone like that. He had never seen anyone love like that.

"Clary should be here by now." Jace said, sitting up. "It's been fifteen minutes since she texted me to know she was leaving."

"Maybe someone stopped her as she was driving." Jon shrugged. "Maybe she's in the driveway."

At that Jace got up to go look out the window. Jon watched him go, going back to his phone.

 _I'm upset you're not here this weekend. I'm actually off this :( - 2:54_

 _I know :(( Somewhat wish I hadn't come home- 2:56_

Jon got up to join Jace. It had been 17 minutes now and as Jace stared out the window a great panic filling his chest.

"Somethings wrong." He told Jon. "I can feel it." He gripped his heart.

"With Clary?" Jon asked.

Jace nodded, taking out his car keys. "Come on."

Jon hurried out after him, climbing back into the car. Jace backed out, trying to keep his racing heart down. It did not work as he drove the route Clary would have taken home.

His heat plummeted as turned the corner and saw Clary's car flipped over in the middle of the street. It was a four car pile up but hers was in the middle and undoubtedly the worst.

"Oh my God." Jon exclaimed, dropping his phone as he took the scene in. The ambulance and cop cars were not there yet but there were several people around the car, a lot of them high schoolers. Jace threw the car in park and sprinted out of the car and to his girlfriend's.

"Clary!' He yelled, coming to her side. There was a guy throwing up outside of her car while two others were looking in it, trying to help.

Jace joined them and his heart shattered. The door was completely bent in on her, having been hit on the side. Her face was bloody as well as her body.

"Jon." He croaked, yanking at the door. He helped him pry it open and reveal the amount of blood that was coating Clary. The other two guys joined the first as they threw up. Jace and Jon carefully helped her out of the car with their shaky hands, as they unbuckled her.

Jace laid her on the ground, his eyes welling up. He searched for a pulse but found none as Jon pressed his shirt over one of her wounds. She was paler than normal with bruises rapidly forming around her face.

"Clary." He cried, his hands cupping her face. "Baby, open your eyes."

She did not. Did not even stir.

"Angel?" He buried his face in her hair, his body raking with sobs. "Clary, open your eyes."

Jon's cries joined his as they sat there, holding her. The ambulance sirens eventually filled the air and came to investigate the girl in their arms. They took her out of his arms and carted her off the ambulance, performing CPR. Jace stared numbly after them as Jon joined them in the ambulance. The door slammed.

Jace's eyes shot open, his breathing heaviy. He was in his dorm room, the lights off and fan on. He could see through the moonlight from the window that Jon was sleeping peacefully in the other bed. Jace was covered in sweat and shaking as he looked towards the microwave. It was 3:46 am. His heart was beating fast in his chest and he was filled with a great panic.

He grabbed his phone to face time Clary. His reality and dreams were very distorted right now. He had to make sure she was okay. She answered on the fifth ring, her voice appearing as it was too dark to see her face.

"Jace?" Her voice was hoarse. "What's the matter?"

It was then he realized he was crying. "I had a dream." He croaked out, trying to stay silent as not to wake Jon.

"A dream?" She asked, her voice real groggy but concerned. "What kind of dream?"

"You died." He said, shuttering. "You died and I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"Shhhh." She said, soothingly, her voice full of understanding. "I'm okay, I'm right here. I love you."

He let out another breath. "I know, I'm sorry. I just panicked."

"That's alright." She said, sounding a little more awake which made him feel guilty. "I'll see you after school?"

He shook his head even if it was too dark for her to see him. "I'm coming earlier. I need to see you."

"What about class?"

"Who cares." He shook his head. "I'll bring you lunch."

"Okay." She muttered, her voice taking on a dreamy quality again as she fell back asleep.

"Go back to bed." He smiled. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She muttered, her breathing already evening out. He listened to it until he fell asleep himself, seeking the comfort of her breathing. He woke up hours later to his alarm. Or Clary's alarm through his phone.

She was still fast asleep through the screen although he could see her now from the light through the window. He smiled, his heart calming down. Alec had been right, when he said missing her was far worse when he needed her. He needed to hold her and put his ear against her heartbeat. He needed her.

"Baby." He whispered into the phone. "It's time for you to get up." He glanced over to see Jon still sleeping like a rock. The dude could sleep through anything.

She shifted in her sleep, her nose scrunching adorably.

"Angel." He said, still whispering. "Time for school."

"Jace." She muttered, her eyes fluttering open. "Why are you on the phone?"

"I called you last night.'" He reminded her.

"I know that." She muttered, turning the alarm off and burrowing deeper in her blankets. "But why didn't you hang up?"

"Because your breathing calmed me down." He whispered back. "I'm going to leave at 9 so I can be there by your lunch."

"Is Jon coming?" Clary asked, her eyes closed.

"No, Seelie isn't working this weekend and they're hanging out. The whole room to themselves."

She grinned. "Glad we could get my brother laid."

Jace let out a quiet laugh. "Me too, babe."

"I hope they don't have it." She whispered. "I hope they wait."

He nodded. "It means so much more when you're in love."

"I love you." She whispers. "Never forget that."

"I love you more." He whispers back.

"I love you most."

"Okay." He says, not going to argue. "Now get your cute ass out of bed and ready for school. "

She pouted, her eyes opening so he could see the pretty emeralds. "Why does everyone think my ass is cute?"

"Because you're cute." He responds. "And I can't wait to kiss you."

She smiled, kissing the camera on the phone. "I'll see you later."

"Bye angel." He whispers as she ends the call. He fell back asleep for another hour so he could get going. Jon was awake by then, blinking wearily at him.

"Was time is it?" He slurred, half a sleep.

"8:30." Jace answered. "You've got another three hours til class."

Jon nodded, closing his eyes again. "Why you leaving so early?"

"I'm going to bring Clary lunch." He replied, pulling a hoodie on.

"Why?" Jon mumbled.

"Because I had a bad dream and I need to see her." He said, honestly.

"Tell her I love her and give her a hug for me, yeah?" He continued.

"Course buddy." Jace smiled at his best friend, straightening his side of the room. "I'll see you Monday."

"Monday?" Jon questioned.

"Yeah, I'll be back for lunch." Jace said, sitting on his bed to slip his shoes on.

"Okay, have fun." Jon said as sleep took him again. Jace was careful to be quiet as he moved around and finished packing. He was excited to see Clary and get a new tattoo. Especially something that she designed.

He called her as he was leaving. It was 8:45 and she was in studyhall.

"Hello sunshine." She answered after a couple rings.

"Good morning, beautiful." He responded, a wide smile on his face.

"You leaving?" She asked.

"Just left the building and am heading to my car. What do you want for lunch?"

She made a thoughtful noise. "Takis?" She offered.

He made a noise of appreciation is response. "You know me so well, angel."

"I'd sure hope so." She giggled. "It's been how long?"

"Around 3 years and six months." He responded. "We're coming up on our fourth Valentine's day together."

"But it's on a Wednesday, we'll have to celebrate it afterwards."

He grinned. "Believe me babe, we're celebrating it that day, too."

She whined. "Jace, that's not fair."

"Can't you just let me treat you like my princess for one day without complain?. Is that too hard to ask?" He pouted into the phone.

"You treat me like a princess everyday you clown." She responded.

"Fine, than let me treat you like a queen." He smirked into the phone.

"God, I can't stand you sometimes." Though he could hear her smile.

"Love you, too." He unlocked his car. "I'll be there soon. Be ready with my hugs and kisses."

"Are you going to eat with me?" She asked.

"Of course. I may have graduated but I still run the school." He teased.

"Sure you do." The bell rang in the background and she sighed. "Now I have to go to math." She pouted.

"You're brilliant, I love you, and I'll see you soon." He told her, getting into his car.

"Bye, love you.'" She hung up.

He plugged his phone in and geared up a different playlist as he was bored of their normal one. This one was Clary's compilation of music and he liked listening to it because it got him ready to see her. He also through now was as good of time as any to call Alec and catch up. Alec got up everyday at nine to go to the gym, it was 9:05 and Jace figured he could get a ten to fifteen minutes chat in while he walked.

"Hey man." Alec greeted him, excited to hear from him.

"Hey." Jace responded equally excited. "How's it going?'

"Great!" Alec responded and Jace could hear him quickly kiss Magnus in the background. "I was just leaving for the gym."

"I figured. I'm on my way home for the weekend and I wanted to catch up."

"Meaning you're bored? " Alec

"No." Jace defended himself. "I honestly just want to talk to you, it's been a while."

"It has." Alec said, the sound of a door closing echoing through the background. "How are you and Clary?"

"We're great. I'm so excited to see her, I even skipped two of my classes."

"I'm not suprised, to any one of those statements."

"How are you and Magnus?" Jace asked.

"We're good. Has anyone talked to you about spring break yet?" He asked.

"No, why?"

"Because all three of ours match up and our parents are talking about taking us on vacation and if we do, Magnus is going to come."

Jace was silent for a moment. His first thought instantly went to Clary. And than he went back to being a good brother.

"That's great!" Jace said seriously. "I want to spend more time with him."

Jace had seen Magnus twice. The first was when all of them had went to drop off Alec his sophomore year and they met his sparkly neighbor. It has been Alec's first time meeting him as well, and at the time no one had thought much of it.

The second time had been over the summer when he had come for a week at the beginning of July. They had all spent a lot of time together that week, even more so usual. It had been Jace's favorite week of summer, even if it had been the week he got the talk from Clary's parents about sex.

Thankfully all Maryse had done was buy him a couple packs of condoms and had him tell her when he needed more. The talk with her parents had been a lot worse and while Clary laughed her way through it he had been so embarrassed. Jocie was like his mom. But it was times like that where it was painfully obvious that she wasn't his actual mom. And taking to your girlfriend's mom after having sex with her the night before should be on no one's bucket list. He hadn't been able to do more than kiss her for five days which had to have been a record that summer.

"I know." Alec continued happily , oblivious to the turmoil in Jace's head. "He misses Clary and is looking forward to seeing her again."

Jace groaned. "Why does everyone love my girlfriend? I already have to compete with so many people for her time and every time she meets someone it's like I have to compete with one more person."

Alec laughed. "Clary's special but you already knew that." Damn straight he did. "You should have seen Magnus's reaction when he found out that you were her boyfriend."

Jace's eyebrows quirked. "What did he say?"

"It's no secret that you're an asshole." Alec said, grinning. "Unless you're with Clary but she was having a girls day with Iz and we all spent the day together. That was his first day there and he thought you were a giant ass. And than he met Clary when she got back with Iz and they talked in the kitchen and he about died from shock when he saw you kiss her."

Jace let out a small laugh. "He doesn't think I'm an asshole anymore, right?"

"No." Alec reassured him. "He saw you with Clary and was like damn, how do the two of them not combust with all that love."

Jace laughed. "I wonder that too."

"I told him that you being an asshole when you're away from her is your own combustion." Alec finished.

"Hit the nail right on the head as usual." Jace grinned. "Now tell me more about this vacation. Where are we going?"

"It's not a for sure thing yet. And it'd just be our moms, maybe Luke if he gets time off. But they want us to go to South Carolina."

Jace grinned. His girlfriend, his best friend, his family, and his second family all in the same beautiful place for an entire week. Sign him the fuck up.

"I'm stoked man!" He said. "And than we'll be back for a good old St. Patrick's day celebration. "

Alec laughed. "You don't even like that kind of thing."

"I know." Jace laughed. "But I'm sure it'll be an alright time of Clary and Izzy come up like they're planning on it. And than a couple weeks after that and the semester with be over and I'll be home."

"When you put it like that I can't wait either." Alec said. "Magnus and I are talking about getting a place together for next year."

"Shouldn't you already have this figured out?"

"Well, he already has his own place I'd just be dropping the place I'm staying and moving in with him."

"Is he going to come and stay the summer with us?" Jace asked as they had talked about briefly once.

"We've been talking about a lot of things. Magnus lives at his apartment year round and I might stay there this summer and come visit when I can."

"As much as I'm going to miss you if you do, I'm really happy for you and Magnus."

"Thanks Jace. I'm at the gym now so I've got to go. Don't be a stranger."

"Okay, I'll see you in a couple weeks. See ya!"

They hung up and music filled the car again for the remaining hour and half left of the trip before he pulled into Takis. He went in and ordered takeout so he'd get to the school around when her lunch started. He got himself a burger and fries, the best in their city, and he got her the coconut pancakes she raved about all the time with a side of bacon. She hated eggs.

When he pulled in to the school parking lot it was three minutes until lunch started and the halls were crowded with people changing classes. He walked into the office to sign in as people yelled his name. Him and Jon had been the kings of the school when they went here and it was nice to know it had not really changed.

Jace made small talk with the secretary as he signed in and got permission to go eat lunch with his girlfriend. The principal even came out of his office to chat with him quickly about the spectacular win and apologizing for not being able to make it to the party.

"That's okay." Jace told the man sincerely. "We know that everyone was supporting us."

Principal Evans smiled widely at him and patted him on the back. "Go to Clary, I'm sure you two miss each other a lot."

"Only downside of college." He gave him a tiny smile. "But it's a huge one."

"See you around Jace." He said as he backed into his office and closed the door.

Jace went out of the office and walked the familiar halls. He missed aspects of high school, sure, but he was glad to be done with it. College was great, the only reason he would ever trade was so he could be with Clary again. But what was nine months in the scheme of forever anyways.

"Hey Jace!" Some of his friends greeted him as he made it to the cafeteria.

"Hey." He greeted them all with quick hugs. "How are you guys?"

"Good, good." They said, smiling at him.

Jace smiled back as he looked around for Clary. She was no longer sitting with the same people as last year. She had mostly sat there for him even though they were both of their friends. Now she sat with Izzy and the girls by the fire a couple tables down. Their grades had always been extremely close and Jace knew it had been a giant adjustment for the school when they left.

"I see Clary." He told his friends, clapping one on the back. "I'm sure I'll see you guys later."

They waved him off and he crossed the cafeteria and greeted all his old friends as quickly as he could without being rude. Clary had spotted him and waved, not wanting to interrupt him. He rolled his eyes and waved her over.

She got up with a sigh and came towards him. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her head as he finished talking to the guys, their food in his hand.

"Can I have my boyfriend now?" Clary asked them, grinning.

"You get him all the time." One said.

"All the time?" Jace arched an eyebrow. "This is like the fifth time I've seen her since August."

"Yeah, yeah." They waved him off. "Go and be adorable elsewhere."

"We will." Jace said as Clary led him to her table.

"Hey guys." He waved to her friends and gave his sister a hug. Clary slid a chair up for him next to her and he took a seat.

"Hey Jace." Clary's good friend Amanda greeted him.

"Hey Amanda, how's it been?" He asked, as he and Clary pulled their food out.

"Can't complain, what about you?" He always liked Amanda. She was exactly the kind of friend Clary deserved. She didn't stir unnecessary drama or make a habit of talking shit about people. And Jace knew Clary was really going to miss her at Ohio University next year. Though he was sure Clary and Izzy would go visit, probably on HallOUween weekend.

"I've been good, better now." He leaned over to give Clary a kiss.

Clary laughed, popping a piece of bacon in her mouth. He smiled at her, kissing her again. And just like that, it was just the two of them.

He leaned in close to her as he ate, his hand resting on her thigh.

"Hello." He whispered.

"Hi." She whispered back. "I'm glad you're back."

Jace pushed her hair back behind her ear. "Me too, I've missed you."

Her hand pushed back his own hair, sifting through it. "I've missed you, too."

He took her hand and held it in his own. "I talked to Alec earlier."

"What about?" Clary asked, her food forgotten as she leaned into him.

"Spring break."

Her eyes lit up. "I'm so excited, we were going to talk about it this weekend."

"It's going to be great."

"And we haven't updated Alec yet." She went on, her face pink with excitement. "The place we're staying at is on it's own private beach and it's beautiful and we're all going to be under one roof and Robert I think is coming now so it will be a giant family vacation and-"

Jace cut her off with a kiss. She was too cute when she rambled. "I love you." He whispered against her lips. "And you can tell me all about it later when you remember how to breathe."

She giggled, shoving him away and directing her attention back to her food.

"You two sicken me." Izzy said, pretending to gag.

"I'm sorry Iz." Clary reached across Jace to hold her hand. "You know you're the one I really love."

Jace swatted Izzy's hand away and took Clary's in his own. "Yeah, right." He kissed her hand.

Clary rolled her eyes at him but didn't pull her hand away. "Sorry Iz, we'll have to wait until he goes back."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes. "You ruin everything, Jace."

"Get you're own girlfriend, this one's mine."

"I met her first." Izzy countered.

"I asked her out first." Jace said.

"I loved her first."

"I'm in love with her."

"We're best friends."

Jace snorted. "Like we aren't?"

Clary ignored them, talking to her other friends as she ate her meal.

"She tells me things she'd never tell you."

"Like what?" Jace countered.

"Like I'd tell you, that would defeat the purpose of her not telling you.'"

He rounded on Clary. "Angel, do you tell things to Iz that you don't tell me?"

She looked him like he was dumber than a bag of rocks. "Well, duh. Just like you know things about me she doesn't."

He pouted, turning back to a triumphant looking Izzy. He stuck his tongue out at her.

"That doesn't prove anything." He mumbled childishly as he took a big bite of his burger.

"Sure." Iz hummed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"The only thing that helps me sleep at night is Clary, I'm afraid."

Iz rolled her eyes and gagged. "You're so gross."

"No, I'm in love."

"Mom and dad aren't like this. Jocie and Luke aren't like this."

Jace shrugged, eating a french fry. "Well none of them are me and Clary are they? And no relationships are comparable."

Clary rested her head on his shoulder, effectively stealing his attention.

"Tired?" He asked her, resting his head on hers.

"Yeah, somebody woke me up at 3 am last night."

He smiled. "Sorry, I needed to make sure you were alright."

"What was the dream about anyways?"

"You got in a car accident on the way home from school and you were dead when I arrived." He let out a shaky breath, his arm coming around behind her to pull her in as tight as he could. "And I woke up scared shitless because I couldn't distinguish between my dream and reality."

She pressed her lips to his neck. "It's okay, I'm right here."

"I know baby." He said, his hands running through her hair. "It just, my God, it scared me to bad. Thought I had lost you."

"You didn't." She said. "And when we get home from getting our tattoos you can have me in any way you need."

He breathed out, a small smile appearing. "Yeah? And how's that?"

She put her lips to his ear and whispered. "Up to you."

She bit lightly at his ear. "Baby, I can't wait." He whispered back, kissing her head. "Now eat, lunch is almost over."

She pouted before leaning away from him again to finish her pancakes and eating the last two pieces of bacon. He had already finished his fries and only had a couple bites left of his burger.

Clary pulled out her notebook and started writing fast.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Just remembered I have an English assignment due next period."

He laughed, kissing her shoulder. "High school, man."

She smiled at him. "I know, I'm almost done though."

"Believe me angel, I know. I can't wait."

"I'm excited for Prom." She smiled over at her. "It sucked not having you with me at Homecoming and I'd hate for my last dance to be with anyone other than you."

"I'm sorry." He said, feeling bad.

"What for?" She continued to write, her beautiful curly handwriting becoming a mess on the paper.

"Missing your last homecoming."

"That's okay." She smiled over at him, looking sincere. "I knew what I was getting into all those years ago."

The bell rang and she hurriedly scribbled the last few words before putting it in her backpack. His burger was gone now but their trash was still on the table, he'd get it later.

Instead he clamored to his feet and pulled her in for a kiss because as much as he enjoyed kissing other parts of her that's what he had really needed. She pulled back, looking slightly dazed. He smiled, years later and he could still do that to her.

"I love you." He told her, pressing his forehead to hers. "I'll see you soon."

"Love you, too." She kissed him before hurrying after her friends, one last smile over her shoulder at him.

He smiled back, shaking his head. Man did he love that girl.

"Jace!" Came a familiar voice and he turned to see one of his good friends that was in her grade.

"Jason!" He greeted him, giving him a big hug. "How've you been?"

"Great." He said, "And you?"

"I'm great, just great." Jace said, picking up the trash and throwing it in a garbage can. "How's it feel to be almost done?"

"Scary, but I'm a good way. I'm going to play basketball at Notre Dame and I'm really fucking excited."

Jace grinned. He had known that, of course, and had sent him a text but he hadn't seen him since.

"Playing in college is a while other ball game." Jace said. "But walking out and seeing the crowds." Jace whistled. "Man, does it humble you."

"I'll bet." Jason smiled at him, his hand on one of his bag straps. "I've got to go, but if you and Clary can manage to spend some of your time apart this weekend there's a party at my place on Saturday."

Jace smirked. Oh, to be in high school. "We'll see, it's pretty hard to waste my precious time with her."

"I know man." He backed away as the late bell rang. "But she isn't the only one who misses you. Later dude."

"Later!" Jace yelled back, turning the other way to go the office and sign out.

A couple more people stop and talk to him but he's out of the building in ten minutes and at his house in another five. He had texted his mom he was getting home a little early so he threw his bag down on his bedroom floor and passed out on his bed. Clary was coming to pick him up when she was done with school and would undoubtedly wake him up if he was not already.

An alarm was going off in his room but he did not remember setting it. He blinked his eyes open and looked to see Clary sleeping soundly next to him. Her head was on his chest and his arms were tightly around her. A smile spread across his face and he closed his eye again. The sound of the alarm came back to him in that moment and he groaned, not ready to move. She twitched in his arms before she moaned, stretching. Her eyes opened and she grinned as she saw him watching her.

She turned the alarm off and then kissed him, laying her body on his. He held her to him and kissed her, his hand tangling in her curls. She was like his drug and he could never get enough. He never wanted to get enough. He does not think he could ever get enough.

Clary pulled away completely and sat up, stretching again. He watched her, a smile on his lips. She had changed out of her clothes and into one of his hoodies and she looked so painfully adorable as she rubbed her eyes. Her legs were folded bare beneath her and his hand rose to rest on one.

"Ready to go?" She asked him, moving so she hovering over him again.

He smiled up at her. "You're going like this?" His hand ran up her leg and under the hoodie.

She grinned down at him and kissed him. "No, this is what I'll change back into later. Now let's go."

He sat up, picking her up as he went. She giggled loudly, wrapping her arms tight around him as he spun her.

"I'm so excited." He kissed her. "To not only have your art on my body but to share it with you."

Her lips curved into a smile he did not get to see too often. It was small and close lipped and full of love.

"Me too, I love you."

"I love you, too." He put her back down and kissed her. "I'm going to have serios back problems, you know. With all the bending I have to do around you."

"Not my fault you're 6'3." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"And it's not my fault you're 5 feet nothing."

"Exactly." She said as she pulled on a pair of leggings. "So don't complain. You're lucky I grew those two inches since we started dating."

"Indeed I am, but only because that means there's more to love."

She smiled widely at him. "Stop doing that."

"What?" He kissed her. "Being honest. Want me to lie? To say that you aren't the best thing that ever happened to me and that I won't love you for as long as I live."

"No." She smiled. "I don't want you to lie. You just always make me feel so inferior."

"What? How?" He asked, concerned.

"Because you're so good at expressing yourself and I'm not."

"Babe, you literally are taking me to get a tattoo with you of the sun and the moon that is going to be on our bodies forever because I mean so much to you. A tattoo that you put who knows how much time in designing and researching. Angel, there is not a day that goes by that I do not feel your love for me, just because you express it differently than me does not mean I don't see it. Don't feel it. And there is not a day that goes by that I don't thank my lucky stars that you still think I'm good enough and allow me to love you. That you love me back."

"I love you, Jace." She hugged him, her head on his chest. "Thank you for making me feel like the most important person on this whole planet to ever have existed."

He kissed her head. "It's only fair, that's what your love does for me."

She hugged him tighter, having no words. "Come on, lets go get tatt-ed."

"Alright." He connected their fingers. "Where are you getting yours?" They made their way down the stairs.

"I have two places, I was going to ask your opinion."

"And they are?"

He opened her door for her and helped her in before going to his own side.

"Well, when I designed it I had under my ankle planned even though it's painful as hell." She smiled at him. They had both been with Jon when he had gotten the alien and had witnessed as he nearly cried. "But lately I've been thinking the back of my shoudler, but like not the shoulder blade."

He nodded, taking her hand in his. "I think we should get them in the same spot."

"Yeah, and where did you have in mind?"

"I like the ankle even if it's probably going to brutal but I had been thinking over my heart because that's where you belong."

She smiled. "That's sweet and all but I want to be able to show it you know, and unless you want me going everywhere shirtless I do not like that's a good idea."

"Never mind." He squeezed her hand. "But I also like the shoulder."

"You against the ankle?" Clary asked, her fingers tracing patterns over his hand as they drove.

"Not at all for myself." He hesitated. "Seeing Jon in that pain had been funny but I don't want to see you go through that."

"All tattoos hurt." She reasoned.

"Yeah but the ankle really sucks, Clary. And I don't know if I'm ready to see you get one."

"But I want one there, wouldn't you rather be there for me as I get one?"

"I guess." He sighed, "but you're going first. Because if I get one and it hurts there's no way I'd let you get one."

"Okay." She laughed. "Just hold my hand and I'll be okay."

He pulled into the parking lot of the tattoo place he had been to when him and Jon had gotten the addresses. They had done a lot of research before they got their tattoos and had found the best in their area. And had really liked him. He had gone on to do the one on his chest and he had liked it just as much.

"Do you have the designs?" He asked her as they climbed out.

She shook her head. "I stopped here last weekend and gave them to him so he could draw it out."

Jace nodded, guiding her into the shop. She was bouncing with excitement, ecstatic that they were going to share something.

"Jace! Clary!" Ben greeted them, bringing them in for a hug. "How's it going?"

"Good!" Clary answered. "I'm excited."

"You talk Jace into letting it go on your ankle?"

Jace shot Clary a look to which she smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry, but yeah I did. He's going to hold my hand."

He pouted at her. She had played him like a fiddle.

"Awesome!" Ben laughed, leading them to the back. "I'm all set up for you. Who's going first?"

"Clary is." Jace said, a nervous tone to his voice. He knew she handled the hip bone well because Jon had facetimed him during it but he really hated seeing Clary in pain if he could help it.

"She'l be fine, you've got yourself a tough chick." Ben reassured him as he helped Clary get in position.

He showed them both the design he had drawn up, mostly traced, and Jace sucked in a breath. He had begged Clary to draw up his first tattoo but she had refused, not wanting herself to be the reason for his first tattoo, especially if they did not make it as a couple. This just proved how far she has come since then. He always knew she was endgame but now she did too. She was getting the sun on her ankle and he was getting the moon. But they were just so detailed and beautiful and he knew that he would probably never love a tattoo more than the one he was about to get.

Ben rubbed the paper on her skin and removed it so they could see the purple outline of what she was getting. They both thought it looked good and than Ben was whipping out the needle. Jace was more nervous than Clary as she smiled and grabbed his outstretched hand. He watched her face as the needle came in contact with her skin and watched as she tensed a little. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing evenly but Jace did not want to look away. She squeezed his hand tighter the longer Ben worked on her ankle, her eyes never opening. Jace risked a few looks down to check the progress.

"How you feeling, babe?" He asked, pushing her hair back with the hand that was not holding hers.

"I've been better." She said, her voice a little strained. "This hurts a lot worse than the shamrock."

Jace kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry."

She snorted. "What on earth for?"

"Your pain." He looked back down at her ankle. Ben looked at him and mouthed that she was almost done. "You're almost there, angel."

She laughed, opening her eyes for the first time. "The rib tattoo was probably a good preface for this one."

"Yeah, well I'm sure this one will be a lot worse." He kissed her forehead again.

"Alright." Ben said five minutes later. "We're all done."

Clary smiled and sat up so she could see it. "Thank you, Ben." She reached over to give him a hug. "You did a wonderful job."

Ben laughed. "I wish all my clients had talent like yours, I hate giving people ugly tattoos."

She laughed as he wrapped it before she could stand up. Jace gave her his chair and sat on the table now, ready for his turn. Clary smiled at him, grabbing his hand. Ben repeated the process until Jace felt the needle hit his skin and tense up. Clary leaned over to kiss him, his head going blissfully blank for a moment until she pulled back, smiling.

He smiled back before he closed his eyes and let Ben put the love of his life's art on him. Clary ran her fingers in circles on his hand until Ben was done, leaving a beatful cresent moon on his ankle. Jace gave the man a hug before he wrapped it.

"I'm going to charge you $50 each." Ben said as he cleaned up.

Clary handed him a fifty and four twenties, much to Jace's chagrin. But this was his birthday present. And despite the fact that they normally at least allowed the other to cover the tip she did not let him. Which is why he was still pouting twenty minutes later when they were back in his bed, their tattoos cleaned and a timer set for an hour so they could do it again.

"Oh. stop." She hit him on the chest before kissing him. "Don't be such a baby."

"You spent a lot of money on me this year." He pouted.

"Jace, do you know how many times you suprise me with flowers or chocolates? Do you know how many times you fill my gas tank for me? Or buy me random sketch books or markers? Because that adds up, but I let you do it anyways becuase I know you want to treat me. So let me treat you for a change."

He kissed her, rolling her on to her back. "Thank you, baby." He moved down her neck. "Can I repay you in another way now?"

She giggled, her hand coming to play in his hair. "You know I will never say no to that."

He grinned into her neck, nibbling a little for good measure. "Good, because I will never grow tired of doing it."

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you, too." He whispered back, kissing his favotie freckle. "Maybe next time." He fingered the dot. "You can get my name tattooed right here."

She laughed. "You know you wouldn't be able to touch it for like two weeks."

"It's okay." He kissed it again. "I love kissing other parts of your body, too."

Her laugh turned into a moan as he showed her what he meant, her hands finding purchase in his hair. He grinned. No, he would never grow tired of this.


	7. Chapter 7

Jon opened one of the two doors on the side of the van and climbed in. They were driving to Myrtle Beach today, a drive that took a little less than 11 hours. Which meant that they were all climbing into a van they had borrowed from a family friend with the first row of seats taken out, at seven in the morning. The van had four rows of seats, well three now. Their luggage was squeezed in where the seat was missing and some of their bags squeezed between the back seat and doors. Luke and Robert were in the front two seats as they were doing most of the driving and Maryse and Jocelyn were in the first row of seats so they would not get too car sick.

That meant that the remaining seven seats, as the last row sat four, were to be filled by the seven of them since Magnus was coming. Jon was certain that Max would go sit with Maryse when he got tired but for now it was going to be a tight squeeze for them. Jon climbed into the very back row with Jace following him. Alec slid into the row in front of them because he knew wherever Jace went, he would want Clary with him. Magnus and Max joined him as they waited for Clary and Izzy to join them in the car.

Jon was just glad he had a window seat to lean his pillow up against and sleep until lunch time. Jace was staring out the window, waiting for Clary so he could cuddle with her, Jon was sure. Izzy would have the other window and the four of them would be as comfortable as they could.

"Sorry." Clary giggled as her and Iz reached the car. "Couldn't find something."

She climbed in the car with Iz behind her. Iz slid the door closed and sat next to Clary in the last seat in the last row. Jace had pulled Clary in for a good morning kiss and was now talking to her in a quiet voice. Jon could still hear him though.

"Good morning, angel." He smiled at her.

"Morning." She leaned in to kiss him again. "Ready?"

"To see you in a bikini for a week and get tan? Hell yes." He smiled, kissing her.

Jon shoved Jace on the shoulder. "Wait till I fall asleep will you?"

Jace leaned away from Clary to lean in and wrap his arm around Jon. "You know you're the only one I love."

Jon shoved him away. "Get away from me."

Jace grinned at him as Luke announced that they were leaving. "Everyone comfortable? No one has to go to the bathroom?"

The car announced that they did not and Luke put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. Jon put his headphones in his ears and leaned against the pillow on the window. He was so tired from the late night drive they had after practice and the late night they had spending time together it only took about a minute to lull himself into sleep.

Jace was far from sleep in that moment. Due to stupid circumstances Jace had not seen Clary since he came up to get a tattoo. She was supposed to come up a couple weeks after but had gotten the flu and he had practice he could not miss. So he was pissed off that not only did he not get to see her, but she was sick and he could not help her since he was stuck 141 miles away from her.

Now she was back in his arms and he wanted to hear her talk. Izzy and Jon were already sleeping around them. Clary was leaning her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Magnus and Alec were sleeping on each other and Max was on his game boy. Clary was playing with his fingers and he just wanted to sit there and be there with her.

Her lips touched his cheek and he leaned down to look at her. Her hair was piled on top of her head, some of it was hanging in curls around her freckled face. She was smiling closed lipped at him, her green eyes bright and large.

When Jace and Jon had gotten home last night they had all gathered together for dinner and he had been unable to speak to Clary the way he had wanted. Now she was all his.

"You feel all better now?" He asked her, his thumb tracing the freckles on her cheek.

She nodded, smiling. "It's been like two weeks, I'm good now."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be with you." He kissed her forehead.

Clary looked at him, bemused. "And what could you have done?"

"We could have cuddled all weekend long." He smiled at her.

"We can do that this weekend." She countered. "We're doing it now, just without all the snot."

He laughed, "I love you with or without the snot."

She smiled, leaning up to kiss his chin. "Well I guess that just shows how great you are, because I don't love your snot."

"I never said I loved your snot, I just love you through your snot."

She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Do you want to nap, now?"

He rested his head on her. "We've got all week, so I guess."

"Good, because I'm exhausted." She smiled into his shoulder.

"Happy to be of service." He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her hair. Her breathing evened out quickly and he tightened his arm around her, getting more comfortable with her. It only took him a couple minutes to fall asleep, happy to have his girl back in his arms.

His neck woke him up hours later, sore from the angle he was resting it at. His eyes blinked open and he looked around. Clary was still fast asleep but Izzy was awake and on her phone. Moving his head he saw that Jon was still sleeping as well. His head was still sunk into his pillow and his headphones still sitting snugly on his head.

Jace moved his neck from one side to the other, cracking it. He didn't move any farther, not wanting to wake Clary up. Instead, Jace rested his eyes again, dropping his head back on to the seat.

It took around twenty minutes for Clary to finally shake herself awake with a smile at Jace as he leaned down to kiss her, happy she was back in the land of the living. Izzy had fallen back asleep and Jon had never woken up and did not look like he was ready to get up anytime soon. Jace didn't mind as Clary was still kissing him and he had her all to himself for once. He pulled back, mindful of the fact that their parents were all in the car.

"I'm hungry." She sighed, pulling out her phone to check the time.

"Me too." He unwrapped his arm around from her to stretch himself before he re-wrapped himself around her. She put her legs over his, with her head once again resting on his chest.

"Want to watch a movie?" She asked, pulling out her Ipad from the bag at her feet.

"Yeah, what movie?"

"Irreplaceable You?" She looked up at him. "I downloaded it last night."

"What's it about?" He asked.

"I saw a trailer on Instagram." She smiled up at her. "This couple met when they were children and started dating until she developed cancer and she tried to set him up with other people."

Jace snorted. "Like that would happen."

"What do you mean?"

"If you were diagnosed with cancer there is no way in hell that I would do anything but spend every second by your side."

"I would want you to move on."

He snorted again. "I could never move on from you."

"Would you want me to move on?"

He ran his hand down his face. "Can we not talk about either one of us dying, please. I don't even want to entertain that idea."

"Do you want to watch it still? Or do you want to watch something different?"

"What else do you have?" He asked, kissing the side of her head.

"I also downloaded the last season of Sherlock we never got to watch." She offered.

"Sounds good." He said, taking one of the headphones, and slouching more in his seat so they were laying more comfortably with each other. "How long will this take us too?"

"It's like four and half hours." She said and looked at his watch. "So that takes us to like nine hours."

He rested his hand on her stomach, rubbing in circles as she pressed play. The Ipad rested in her lap and they finished the first episode before Luke pulled over to grab some lunch and switch with Robert.

A quick drive through at McDonalds and they were off, pressing play to watch the next episode.

"I'm really glad we didn't watch this the moment it came out like we normally did." He whispered to her, his eyes not leaving the screen.

"Me too. We're so smart."

He shot her a quick grin, not wanting to miss anything. This was his favorite tv show and he could not believe he had waited over a year to watch it. He just couldn't being himself to do so before now.

When the third episode was done and Jace had dried her eyes, there was only an hour left until they got to their place, traffic willing.

Jon had woken up when they stopped at McDonald's, same as Magnus and Alec who were now leaning on each other and talking. Max was asleep on Maryse, done playing his video games. Jocelyn was snoozing against her own pillow for a small nap. Robert was talking to Maryse with a smile on his face and Izzy was talking to someone through her headphones as quietly as she could.

"I'm so ready to hit the beach today.'" Clary stretched from where they say tangled up. He rubbed her leg, looking over at her. Her mascara was slightly smudged but he thought she looked as beautiful as ever.

"I'm so ready to see you hit the beach." He countered.

She rolled her eyes. "Do you think of anything else?"

"Hey." He whined, leaning into her. "It's been over a month since I've been with my beautiful girlfriend, give me a break."

She giggled. "It's been a month since I've been with my extremely attractive boyfriend, you don't see me acting like you do."

"That's because you're so much better and stronger than me."

She sighed. "I can't wait for next year." Her hand came to play in his hair, his eyes closed automatically and his head dropped to her shoulder.

"Me neither." He placed a kiss to her neck.

He felt her more than he heard her as she talked to Izzy, her presence calming him. They were so tangled up right now he couldn't tell who was who. Only she could make long car rides enjoyable for him. Though he was serious, he could not wait to be at the beach with his girl. For an entire week!

He lifted his head to turn to Jon. His headphones were on and he was watching the world pass through the windows. Jace knew that he was off today because him and Seelie had got into a fight before they left for break.

Jace nudged his best friend. "Hey man, you okay?"

Jon turned towards him with a sigh. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Jace raised an eyebrow .

"Have such an easy relationship?"

Jace thought for a moment. "We've been together for three years and we know everything about each other and Clary's a freaking goddess who is so chill about everything and I'm the crazy lunatic. We balance each other out."

"But how did you get there?"

"Clary and I's relationship isn't exactly comparable to anyone's." Jace shrugged. "We've been best friends since we were ten. We're soul mates and first loves so we learned everything together. There's literally no one in this whole universe I know better than her."

"It's just, Seelie is such a great girl and person and I like her a ton, but it's just so hard to balance our lives because we're so different."

"Different is good, Jon. Clary and I couldn't be more different, we're just like enough in the ways that matter."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we both want the same things with each other and for each other. She brings out the best in me and she's ten times the person I could ever be. And honestly, I don't know what good I do in her life other than love her better than I think anyone else can, and I'm selfish enough to be okay with that."

Jon nodded. "I don't even know why we are fighting, if I'm being honest."

"What'd she say?"

"She just keeps bringing up the past and the amount of girls I've hooked up with."

"Is she a virgin?" Jace asked, not that there was anything wrong with that. Sex isn't something you should just do with people, he had learned that the hard way.

"No." Jon shook his head. "She's been with two guys but one was someone she dated for over a year, and the other was a drunken mistake the first month of college."

"Does that make her feel inferior or something?"

"Not exactly. I think she's just afraid that I'm not as serious as I'm 'pretending' to be."

Jace's eyebrows rose. "Where'd she get that idea from?"

"Kaelie." Jon rolled his eyes. "They know each other apparently."

Jace winced. "Shit, what'd she say?"

"That I only want one thing in life and that's sex."

Jace snorted. "You've been dating Seelie for like a month now, right?" Jon nodded. "And you guys haven't even fooled around yet."

"I know." Jon shook his head. "Because I never feel the need too. I don't want to give the wrong impression because I really really like her when we're not fighting."

"You should talk to Clary, she's better at this kind of thing. She could probably tell you what's going on in her head."

Jon nodded. "I was planning to tonight, if you allow her out of your sight for a minute."

"I can spare a minute but I'll gather interest."

Jon rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous."

Jace shrugged, smirking. "I know."

Jon put his headphones back in his ears, smiling as he rested his head on his pillow again. Jace turned back to Clary who was still talking to Izzy, her hand had dropped from his hair and was now resting on his leg. He picked it up, playing with her dainty fingers. Her fingers were the only part of her that were not covered in freckles, but they were almost always covered in paint, today included.

"What have you been working on?" He asked her when she turned back to him.

She shrugged. "I've just been having fun lately, all my work had to be my best when I was finishing my portfolio and now I'm just painiting whatever I want."

He smiled at her. "Any of me?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, not since the last one I showed you. You belong in my sketch book."

"You're going to be so amazing one day, I can't wait to brag all about you."

She knocked shoulders with him. "Excuse me, Mr. Professional Football Player, if one of is going to be proud it's definitely me."

He kissed her. "All I do is catch a ball and run, you make art with your mind and through your hands."

"Well, whatever the case." She smiled at him, teasing. "You better always do it, because once your body is gone, so am I."

He pouted at her. "What about my love? Is that not enough for you?"

"Sorry sweetie, love doesn't pay the bills."

"But my body does?" He raises an eyebrow.

"It will." She insists. "You're going to be the face of Gatorade or Adidas or something one day."

"I just want to get a Got Milk? poster done. Than I know I succeeded in life."

She laughed. "I'll hang it in our future house right when people walk in."

He smiled at the mention of their future together. "No, your art work is going to be everywhere."

"There is no way I am hanging my own artwork in my house. It's not happening."

"Our house." He corrected her. "Don't I have a say?"

"In the basement, maybe. Or, the backyard. Everything else is mine though."

"I guess I can live with that." He shrugs. "But only because I've got you."

She rolls her eyes before closing them and leaning on him. "How much longer?"

Jace glanced at his phone. It was 5:50. They had left a little after seven and stopped twice for bathroom breaks and food breaks. On GPS, the trip was ten minutes under eleven hours but Jace knew that Luke and Robert drove faster than the speed limit. They had only met traffic once on their trip, slowing them down around twenty minutes.

"I think we should be there before 6:00."

"And what time is it?"

"5:51, you lazy bum."

She smiled though her eyes remained closed.

"We're here!" Robert yelled through the car not even two minutes later.

All the kids sat up and looked out the windows to see where they were staying. It was a gated community of sorts that backed up right to the ocean and Jace was so ecstatic. It looked so warm. He had left cold and bi-polar Ohio for seventies in South Carolina and he was so excited.

"Babe." Clary reached across him to point. "They do have a sand volleyball court."

"Told you." He looked away from the view to his favorite view.

She stuck her tongue at him before looking back out the window. Everyone in the car was pointing at things and talking, Magnus looked awestruck. Jace supposed this was one of the nicest places he's been to and they've had some nice vacations.

"Come on." Clary dragged him out of the parked car after Izzy, not even stopping to grab her bags. She just wanted to stretch and feel the air.

He wrapped his arm around her and stared at the place they were staying. They had a giant house to themselves next to a couple of other really nice houses with big windows and a beautiful front lawn.

"Well, shit." Jon muttered, looking up at the house.

"You've got that right." Jace said in agreement. "Come on, let's go explore."

They grabbed their bags and ran into the house. The ceilings were huge and the natural lighting in it was insane. The kitchen was bigger than the one they had by about double the size and there was a giant back patio with chairs, a grill, and a fire pit.

The kids all headed up the stairs to see that there were five bedrooms for them to share. The master was up another flight of stairs and there was a bedroom on the main floor that their parents were going to use. Izzy and Clary snagged one room and Magnus and Alec snagged another. That meant that the three of them would get their own rooms, though Jace was sure that Clary would most likely be sneaking in to his room at night.

The rooms were huge, with queen size beds and flat screen tvs. His and Jon's room were connected by a bathroom and Clary and Izzy's had their own. The other three would have to share the one in the hallway.

Jace collapsed on the bed and wondered where in the hell his parents find this place. It was the nicest place he had ever seen and it belonged on the front cover of one of the fancy magazines that made everyone jealous and sorry about their lives.

"Hey." Clary's voice came from his doorway where she stood in her bathing suit cover up. Though it did little to cover up as it was open and he could see every inch of her skin and black bikini. "We're going to check the beach out, you coming?"

He nodded, holding out his hand so she came to his bed and sat on it. Her hair was still in the bun so he took the hair tie out and ran his hands through the curls.

"You're gorgeous, did you know that?"

She leaned down to kiss him, her hair falling on his face. "You're gorgeous, too."

He hummed against her mouth before letting her go and sitting up. He pushed himself off the bed and opened his suitcase to grab his suit. Clary had closed the door behind her so he simply slid off his clothes and pulled on his compression shorts and trunks.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked Clary over his shoulder. She was leaning back on her arms, watching him.

"Don't you know it." She smiled at him.

He pulled his shirt off and stepped towards her, his arms coming around her small body and leaning in. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He kissed her shoulder before helping her up and out the door. She jumped on his back and he carried her downstairs and out the back where the others were waiting for them.

It was warm and bright out still when he stepped outside and saw just how close the ocean was to their patio. There was about a quarter of a football field in length of sand and it was all theirs for the week. There were some other people down the beach behind their own houses but the seven of them paid them no mind.

Max ran off to the beach with the rest of them following him, laughing. The water was warm around his ankles and he set Clary down so she could feel it, too. Izzy was taking a video of them on shore as Jace, Alec, and Jon went further out to wrestle with Clary, Magnus, and Max laughing at them until the three decided to grab them. Clary had ditched her cover up thankfully but still did not appreciate it when Jace picked her up over his shoulder and threw her in the water.

She came up with a glare that quickly faded into a laugh as she started splashing him. Jace blocked the water as best he could and swam towards her, taking her in his arms. She was laughing with him now as they watched Jon dunk Max over and over again as carefully as he could. Izzy was sitting now on the beach, soaking in the sun, and Magnus and Alec were kissing. Jace looked away, for as much as he enjoyed kissing Clary anywhere and anytime he did not like it when other people did it. Hypocritical, he knew.

"Do we look like that?" Clary asked, looking at the same thing.

"No, we're much better looking." Jace said, kissing her quickly. "And we don't make out in public, often."

She laughed, glancing at Jon and Max who were laughing loudly. "Not for lack of trying on your part."

He kissed her again, pulling at her lips with his own. His hands found purchase at the back of her neck and her thigh. Her hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him closer for once instead of pushing him away. He took advantage of her willingness for once and kissed her like his life depended on it. She pulled away from him to trail across his cheek and to kiss right below his ear. She tugged at his ear lobe with her teeth before pulling back completely. He moved to kiss her neck when she pushed him away, laughing.

"Clary." He pouted, moving in to kiss her again only to be met with her hand.

"Jace, I'm going to be living in a bikini in front of my parents for a week. There is no way I would be able to cover anything up."

"Fine." He sighed, catching her lips in another searing kiss that stole his breath away before pulling away completely. His hand had moved to her ass and he gave it a squeeze before swimming back to where Jon and Max were. Magnus and Alec were still locked in an embrace.

"Do you think they can see us from inside?" Clary asked him, her cheeks pink at the thought.

Jace squeezed her fingers with his own. "I'd hope they'd look away."

"Sometimes I think you forget I'm still in high school and in most eyes way too young for this kind of relationship." She was looking at him intensely.

"First of all, I know how old you are very well." He gave her a pointed look. "Because I have seen you five times in the last eight months which would not be the case if we were the same age. Second of all, what does that mean, this kind of relationship?"

"A three and half year long relationship when I'm only eighteen."

"What's wrong with being eighteen?"

"Jace, I know there's nothing wrong with it but people are always saying that I'm delusional."

"What?" He asked, taken aback.

She shrugged, looking like she regretted bringing anything up. "Nothing, forget it."

He shook his head, pulling her back to the beach and sitting down, away from Izzy and everyone else. She sat in between his legs, though she was facing him. "Talk to me, Clary."

She fingered the ring he got her and didn't meet his eyes as she started talking. "A lot of girls at school used to tell me that it was foolish to believe that we would last or that you would be faithful while you were gone."

Jace opened his mouth, indignantly. "Clary, I would never ever in a million-"

She cut him off. "I know that, Jace. I have never had anything less than a hundred percent faith in you, but it doesn't make it any easier to hear."

He pulled her on to his lap, wanting to be as close as possible to her. "What else do they say?"

"I don't know." She leaned her head on his shoulder, not wanting to look at him in this moment. "This is not some cliche high school movie, no one just says anything, it's all so passive aggressive."

"What do they imply then?" He ran his hands through her hair. "Baby, you can talk to me, let me help you."

"I don't know, Jace." She mumbled. "I don't feel like making you upset for no reason."

"No reason?" He leaned his head on her. "If it makes you upset, that's reason enough for me."

"Some of the guys used to ask me if they could have their time with me as you were probably having your time with other people." Clary leaned further in his shoulder.

"Who?" He asked, softly. Inside he was boiling, but he knew the reason she did not want to say anything was because she feared he would get angry.

She sighed, still refusing to look at him. "What does it matter?"

"Because I want to know who these brainless idiots are." He said. And maybe give them a piece of is mind.

"None of them were your friends, or even my friends, they all know you better than that and it only happened a couple times."

Jace had enough of her hiding her face and talking quietly like she did not want to see his reaction. He guided her face with his hand until she was looking at him, her emerald green eyes coming to focus on him.

"Angel, I would never- don't." He said when she went to interrupt. "Just listen to me okay." She nodded, leaning her head into his hand. He kissed her forehead before pulling back. "I'm never going to love anyone but you and I am never going to want to love anyone but you. I'm never going to be with anyone else but you and I'm never going to want to be with anyone but you. And anyone who says or implies anything else is stupid. You're it for me Clary, you've always been enough and you're always going to be enough."

"I love you." She leaned in to kiss him. "And I trust you with every piece of me and love you with every piece of me."

He pulled her into his chest, wrapping her tight in his arms. "What else, baby? Keep talking to me."

"About what?" She whispered.

"Anything. I always get to talk about how much I miss you but it sounds like you don't. Everyone says you hide how sad you are and I do not want you to hide with me. I want you to talk to me, always."

She smiled into his neck. "NYU was my dream school for as long as I can remember. I knew you were my endgame and in my head going away from you for a couple years did not mean much because when it was done we were going to be together, no matter what. That was until you went away and I realized I would have to actually live through the separation, not just come out at the end of it. I came to this realization not even two hours after you left as I was laying in my bed bawling my eyes out."

Jace squeezed her tighter. She had never told him that she had cried that day and she never told him about any of the times she cried, other than homecoming.

"I'm, so sorry." He kissed her head. "That I left you all alone and that I was never there for you whenever you needed me and all the things you wanted me to be there for. I'm so sorry that I missed your last volleyball season and homecoming and every other thing you were so excited for."

"And I'm sorry I never made it to a game until your last one and that I was not there for you when you needed me either. I'm sorry I never came up on the weekends even though I could've and I'm just so sorry that I pretty much forced you to leave me even though you weren't sure that this is what you wanted." Tears fell down her face as she moved back so she could grab his with her hands.

"Don't cry, baby." He wiped her face with his fingers. "I'm glad I went to OSU and I love being there. I just wish you had come with me or that I could have waited a year, but I know now that neither of those thins were possible."

"I just can't wait to be with you next year and to never leave you again." She kissed his lips before hugging him around his neck. "Because I can never do this again."

He hugged her before falling on his back with her laying on top of him, his hand resting on her warm back. She laid her head on his shoulder, her breathing calm once again.

"Me neither." He finally said, his eyes closed and his hand tightened on her back. "I don't even want to do it for the remaining month."

"Isn't that crazy." She kissed his shoulder. "That we've almost made it."

"I never doubted us." He ran his hands through her hair, untangling it from the ocean water as gently as he could.

"Me neither, there were just days where I felt like I was going to die I missed you so much."

"I know, baby." He sat both of them back up before helping her to her feet. "Oh, baby do I know."

They kissed before helping each other get the sand off as best as they could before entering the water to get the rest off. He grabbed her cover up and they ran back to the house, hand in hand. They were laughing as they walked through the doors, dripping wet and a little sandy. Jocelyn and Maryse were shuffling in the kitchen, putting food away while they cooked.

Jocelyn smiled over at them. "Dinner is in twenty."

The two nodded, walking up the stairs as carefully as they could. Jace gave her a quick kiss before they went in their own rooms to shower. Jon was still in the bathroom so Jace unpacked a little, trying to keep everything as clean as possible before he was finished.

Fifteen minutes later he was clean and wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else to go eat in.

"Nice tattoo." Alec smirked at Jace when he met them in the living room.

Jace smiled in response. "I was drunk but I don't regret it."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Most boyfriends get drunk off their faces and cheat, you get a permanent reminder of your love."

Jace tried not to wince at the mentioning of cheating. Who did these people think he was? Instead he only grinned. "Well most boyfriends aren't dating Clary."

Speaking of, Izzy and her came down the stairs. Clary was wearing short shorts and a tank top with her hair once again in a bun, a large smile on her face. They joined them as they waited for dinner to be seved, her sitting on his lap with his hands on her small hips.

"I don't understand how the two of you deal with the distance." Magnus was saying. "If you can't even deal with the distance of being on opposite sides of the room."

Clary laughed a little, sinking deeper into his arms. "We don't."

Jace kissed her shoulder before resting his head on it.

"What did I say." Jon threw a pillow at him as he joined them in the room. "No PDA while I'm around."

"Are you going to yell at Magnus and Alec for devouring each other in the ocean earlier?" Clary countered, glaring a little at him.

"Neither one of them is my little sister."

Clary rolled her eyes. "It's a two way street big brother. Remember Sierra?" She referred to the girl who practically lived in their house over winter break their senior year.

He put his hands up in surrender. "Anyways, dinner is ready."

They all walked to the large table and took their seats. Jace ended up in between Alec and Max. Clary was on the other side of Max next to Izzy with Jon on the other side of her. He smiled over at Jon, blowing him a kiss which he caught, stuffing it in his pocket.

"Jace." Max poked his arm. "I thought we had a shirt at the dinner table rule."

Jace ruffled his little brother's hair. "It's vacation buddy, the rules are different."

"Does that mean I can stay up past nine o'clock?" He asked, excited.

Jace glanced up at Maryse who listening in and nodded. "Yeah it does." Jace told a smiling Max. "You're a big kid this week."

"Let's pray." Robert said, bowing his head.

He thanked God for the food and the opportunity to go on this vacation. Jace was only half paying attention as the basket of garlic bread in the middle of the table was looking more and more appealing.

"Amen." Robert finished, raising his head. "Let's eat!"

The conversation never stopped as they ate, ending only when the food was long gone and they moved to family room. Because that's what they were, a giant family. He sat with Max under one of his arms and Clary under his other, their legs up on the table in front of them.

"I think Max is bigger than you, Clary." Jace said so they could both hear them.

Clary leaned across him to tickle a laughing Max. "You are not allowed to grow up to be taller than me Max, everyone else is already taller than me."

"But Clary." Max was giggling. "Than everyone would be taller than me, too."

"You're too clever for your age." She said, leaning to kiss his head. "I don't want you to grow up at all."

Jace kissed her head as she leaned back before ruffling Max's hair with his hand. Max giggled and pushed him away.

Clary put her feet on his legs, her legs smooth against his. Jace ran his hand up and down her soft skin.

"Are you going to spend the night with me?" He whispered in her ear.

"I don't know." She kissed his jaw. "Will it be worth it."

"You bet your cute little ass it will be."

"You ready for bed?" Maryse asked everyone. _Fuck yes he was._

Jace looked at the clock to see it was almost 10 o'clock. And he knew that Maryse wanted Max to go to bed, even if it meant everyone else pretending to go to bed.

"Yeah." Jon answered, catching on. "I'm exhausted from all that traveling."

Jace snorted. He had slept the entire ride it seemed like.

"Me too." Clary got up from his lap and gave Max her two hands. "You ready?"

Max nodded, his eyes were rather droopy. He grabbed her hands and they walked up the stairs, leaving everyone else to get up after them.

Jocelyn and Luke took the room on the first floor and said their good nights, while Maryse and Robert took the stairs to go to their room. They stopped in to say goodnight to Max who was brushing his teeth in the bathroom.

Clary was putting on her pajamas behind her closed door so Jace told everyone else to meet in his room.

"We're just going to go to bed." Alec yawned, grabbing Magnus's hand. "Today was exhausting, we'll see you tomorrow though."

Jace nodded, turning to Izzy and Jon. They both nodded and went their separate ways, leaving Jace alone in the hallway for a moment before he stepped into his own room. He laid on the bed, his arm falling over his eyes as he waited for them to join him.

The door opened but before he could look to see who it was he was being jumped on, small legs pinning him to the bed. Well, pinning was a strong word, he could easily pluck her right off him if he wanted. But who would want to kick their insanely beautiful girlfriend off of them.

"Hello gorgeous." He mumbled, his eyes still closed.

"Hello handsome." She kissed him before rolling off of him, and leaning on a pillow against the headboard. Jace moved so that he was laying between her legs, his back to her stomach.

They laid there talking and playing with their fingers until Izzy and Jon came in and sat with them on the bed. Iz laid across the bottom and Jon sat against the headboard next to the two.

"I'm so tired." Izzy mumbled from where she way laying. "And we're going to have to do that drive again in a week."

"And then we have to go back to school." Clary groaned, her hands playing in his hair.

"Kill me, now."Izzy groaned, covering her face with her hand.

"Don't be so dramatic, Iz." Jon poked her in the head with his foot. "You're almost done and Prom is in like a month."

Izzy groaned again. "I don't even have a date yet."

"Seriously?" Jace asked. "You've gone to prom every year you've been in high school."

"I know." She whined. "Which is why I want this one to be special."

"Has anyone talked about asking you?" Jon asked.

Clary snorted. "I had three guys come and ask me if she'd be willing to go with me just last week. And five the week before."

"Has anyone asked you?" Jon asked, looking as his sister.

"A couple guys asked me to go with them if Jace couldn't make it." She shrugged, her hands still combing through his hair. "But I told them he would."

"Who?" Jace asked.

"Mostly just our friends, they didn't want to go alone and they didn't want me to go alone, it was really sweet."

"Yeah." Jace blew out some air. "Real sweet."

"Don't be like that." Izzy hit his foot. "Besides Raphael, they were all genuinely being nice."

Jace and Jon's eyebrows flew up at that. "Raphael wanted to ask you?" Jon asked, appalled.

Clary shrugged again. "Yeah, I told him even if Jace wasn't able to make it I wouldn't have gone with him."

"I should hope not." Jon muttered, "the kid's a creep."

Jace nodded his head. Raphael had always hated Jon and him and had a creepy crush on Clary. He had never done anything about it, probably because if he hurt or bothered Clary the whole school would be after him, led by Jon and Jace. He had talked about what he would to do with her if he ever got the chance, over Jace's dead body, and it had creeped Clary the fuck out. And when Clary was creeped out or scared, it was Jace's responsibility to make it better. It had involved a nice long chat with Raphael after school that had sent him running the other way.

"It's whatever." Clary said. "Better him then Ben."

Izzy groaned again. "Don't remind me."

"What happened with Ben?" Jace grinned at his sister. Ben had been obsessed with Izzy since middle school.

"He asked me and I had to say no. It was so embarrassing and I felt like a total bitch."

"Where did he ask you?"

"At lunch in front of everyone." Iz put her head in her hands. "There should be a rule against that. He literally asked me in front of other people so I would be pressured into saying yes, how sick is that?"

"It's terrible." Clary agreed. "But you handled it well."

"Who do you want to ask you?" Jon asked.

Izzy turned a little pink. "No one." She muttered.

"Izzy has a crush." Jace teased, poking her leg with his foot. "Come on, who is it?"

"Jace." Clary scolded. "Leave her alone."

Jace pouted, leaning his head back. "But you know, why can't we?"

"Because I'm her best friend and I'm not going to tease her for it."

Jace huffed, moving his head so it was once again laying on her chest. "You're no fun." Clary pinched him.

"It's Simon." Izzy muttered, her eyes closed. "I want him to ask me."

Jace's mouth dropped open and he saw Jon's do the same out of the corner of his eye.

"You like Simon?" Jace asked, incredulous.

"Yes." She snapped. "Not shut up."

"No." He said, hastily. "I'm not making fun of you, I'm just surprised is all."

She snorted. "Please, I know you don't like him."

"I do." He said, even though it was a bit of a stretch. He liked him a lot more now than he did before. "He's a good guy."

"Yeah." Jon nodded. "Does he want to ask you?"

Izzy shrugged. "I don't know, I forbid Clary from asking him."

"Come on, Iz." Jon shook his head at her. "You know he won't find the courage on his own. You two may be friends but you scare the shit out of him."

She sighed. "Let's not talk about this anymore."

"Yeah." Clary voiced. "I've wanted to talk to you about Seelie all day. How's that going?"

"I've been meaning to talk to you about it, too." Jon closed his eyes. "We've been fighting this week."

"Oh." Clary said, suprised. The last she heard they had been really good. "What about?"

"My past and the amount of girls I've been with."

"What has she said about it?" Iz asked.

"She's friends with Kaelie, the girl I had been casual with for while and she told Seelie that I only wanted sex."

"So now she thinks that's all you want with her?" Clary asked.

"Yeah, and it's not. I just want to get to know her, I have literally no problem waiting. If all I wanted was sex, I could have gone anywhere to get it."

Clary made a noise of disgust but continued. "What do you say when she voices her thoughts."

"That she's being ridiculous and that if that was all I wanted I could get it so much easier."

Jace winced as the two of them groaned. He had not known that part. "That is such a dick move, Jon." Clary said. "Can't you tell she's insecure about being with someone who treats sex so causally? I'm sure that comment only made it worse."

"It's just so frustrating because I really really like her and I'm sick of fighting. She's hot as hell and I'm sure whenever we get to it, it's going to be great. I'm just not in any rush."

"Then tell her that." Izzy prompted him. "She just needs reassured that this isn't some kind of game. Girls are not as complicated as you make them out to seem. Just tell her that she means a lot to you and you're willing to take the next step whenever she wants too, no matter how long that takes."

"She's probably scared that she won't measure up to what you had before or you'll get bored of her afterwards, just tell her you like her a lot and that stuff won't matter." Clary continued. "I think you should tell her you want to wait until you love her, make her know that you're serious about her."

"I am." Jon said. "I'm really serious about her. More serious than I ever have been before."

"Then just tell her." Iz said, sitting up. "And if she feels the same way about you she'll understand. If she doesn't, than she's probably not worth it anyways."

"Okay." He sighed, leaning away from the headboard. "I'm going to bed now, I'm tired."

"Me too." Iz stood up. "Goodnight everyone."

"Night." They all chorused and the two of them left the room.

"Did you feel that way?" Jace asked when they were alone.

"What way?"

"That you wouldn't measure up to the other girl's I was with?" Jace asked. "Or that I'd get bored of you?"

"Not so much the measure up thing." She whispered. "I knew how much you liked being with me because of the other things we had done, I was just worried you wouldn't always like it."

He snorted, sitting up and turning so he was looking at her. "And now?"

She smiled at him. "I know."

His hand found the ring hanging on her necklace. "Just so you never have doubts, you mean the absolute world to me. I don't even remember what it was like to be with anyone else and I wish it had never happened. You're it for me and you always will be."

"I love you." She guided his face back to hers. "And you mean the world to me, too."

"I love you." He kissed her softly, his hand sliding under her shirt to pull it over her head. "And I will love until the day I die. And if there's a life after that, I'll love you then."


	8. Chapter 8

Jon was sitting on the couch in a pair of shorts and a beat up Ohio State t-shirt with Jace next to him in his black tux and gold tie.

"Excited?" He asked his best friend.

"For Clary, yeah." Jace grinned over at him. "I'm excited to be here for something for once."

Jon shook his head. They had been home from college for two weeks and Jace and Clary were falling back in to the rhythm of living two feet away from each other again. That meant that instead of having to spend every minute of every day together it was more like only every hour.

Jon was working back at the rec and Jace was back with the landscaping company they both worked at the summer before. It was good for both of them to stay in shape as Jon would stay after to work out and Jace was building his muscles up again as he worked. It also meant that money was coming in for both of them which meant they could take their girls on more dates.

Thankfully Seelie only lived a little under an hour away from him so the drive was bearable. He had already made the drive twice in the two weeks he had been home to take her out to dinner and to meet her family. And she was making the drive today to meet his family while a lot of them were in town to see Clary and Jace off for Prom.

Simon walked through the front door, without knocking. Jon wondered what it was about his house that allowed everyone to treat it like it was their own. He wanted to know for when he had his own house one day so it would be just like this.

"Hey Simon!" Jon smiled at him as he came to sit on a chair.

"Hey Jon." Him and Jace exchanged head nods.

Jon rolled his eyes. They had reached a civil agreement over the years knowing that the other person cared for Clary deeply and that was all they wanted. It had gotten a lot easier when Simon's crush on Clary faded but Jon knew that they would never develop a perfect relationship.

Simon had finally gathered the courage to ask Izzy to Prom the week after they came home from spring break, even if Clary had to practically spell it out for him. But all was well that ends well he supposed. Now his sister and the girl that was practically his sister both had gotten what they wanted which was enough to make Jon happy.

"The girls upstairs?" Simon asked him.

"Yeah." Jon rolled his eyes with a smile at Simon. "They've been up there for hours."

"No doubt your dates fault." Jace teased, looking up from his phone with a smirk.

"We've got time." Simon shrugged. "And you know you didn't expect anything less."

Jace lifted a shoulder. "No, no I didn't."

Jon's voice rang and Seelie's name popped up on his screen. He exited the room to take it, leaving Jace and Simon to entertain themselves while they waited for their dates.

"Is this your first prom?" Jace asked Simon, not remembering seeing him the year before.

Simon nodded. "Yeah, it's actually my first school dance."

Jace's eyebrows shot up. "You didn't even go to your senior homecoming?"

"No." Simon shook his head. "Clary and I were going to have a movie marathon but then she won homecoming queen so she decided to go."

Jace started. "But she loves dances?" And she had never told him that she was thinking of not going.

"Yeah." Simon shrugged. "She just didn't want to go alone, I guess. This was the first year she had to go to places by herself."

Jace grimaced. "She's really great, she never once complained."

"Yeah, she is great." Simon agreed. "But you make her really happy so it's worth it for her."

Jace nodded, distracted by the sounds of heels and laughter coming from the stairs. He rose from his seat, grabbing the suit jacket he had draped on a chair and making his way to where the girls were coming down, Simon right behind him.

He saw Izzy first. Her long hair straight and pulled in a high pony tail with no bumps in sight. She was wearing a long and tight black dress with red heels and a red ruby necklace. He supposed his sister was beautiful, as he could tell by the amount of flies that Simon was catching as he took her in. But she wasn't looking at them as she was laughing up the stairs at his girlfriend who he could still not see. He had not seen her yet that day and he feared that he was gong into Clary withdrawal. He had already gotten used to seeing her every couple of hours in his short time back.

A flash of gold caught his eyes and then his breath caught in his throat as his girlfriend descended the stairs, looking even more beautiful than he had ever seen. The dress was gold and sparkly, with thin straps that held it up. It dipped deliciously low and showed off his girl's amazing, well everything. And showed the gold body necklace she was wearing that cut her chest in triangles. The dress was tight around her tiny waist and flared out around her lower curves, clinging to them. As she stepped it showed the slit in the side and her leg poked out, ending with the tallest heels he had ever seen her wear.

Her hair was curly in a way so different from her natural ones. Two braids pulled her hair back on the top of her head with a couple thin ringlets hanging around her face. Her eyes were coated in black and gold, her normally bright green eyes positively radiant. Her lips were pulled in a large smile as she looked at Iz. She reached the bottom of the stairs and he caught sight of the back of the dress. Or the lack of back he should say. It dipped low, showing off the bumps of her spine and the freckles of her skin. It was tight against her amazing ass and it was going to be a really long night for him.

She finally looked away from Izzy to see him, her smile widening even further. He couldn't breathe as she made her way towards him. She used her freshly manicured fingers to close his chin before kissing him softly.

"Hey, I've missed you."

He blinked at her, still in a daze.

"Jace." She pushed his hair out of his face. "Are you okay?"

"Uhh." He stuttered, his mind kind of clearing. "What?" Or not.

Her forehead creased in concern, her hand coming to rest on his forehead. "You feel fine."

He shook his head at her, grabbing her hand with his own. "I'm fine, just need a moment. A warning would have been nice"

"A warning?" She arched an eyebrow, confused.

"Yeah, that you were going to look this good." He shook his head at her. "Like, I can barely control myself normally and then you spring this on me? That's just not right."

She giggled, her eyes so bright and happy that it made his heart hurt. He leaned in to kiss her, his hands resting on the soft skin of her back. The kiss didn't last long because Izzy yelled at him for messing up her lipstick. He pulled back with a pout, he did not think he would be able to control himself all night. It would be a miracle if they could get out of this house without him simply devouring her.

"Clare-bear!" Jon's voice came through the hallway. "Is that you?"

She stepped away from Jace to hug her brother, giving Jace a full view of the back of her dress instead of the side view he had earlier. He shut his eyes tight, trying to calm his racing heart. A long night it was going to be.

"Iz, how could you do this to me?" He demanded of his sister who was smirking at him.

"Do what?" She teased.

"Make my girlfriend into even more of a goddess." He glanced over at her. "She's a fucking siren."

"So I did good?" Iz asked, looking over at her best friend.

Jace shook his head, pulling his eyes away with some difficulty. "She could pull off a freaking garbage bag, you know how good you did and I hate you for it."

"No you don't." She smirked again. "Just enjoy the view for once, brother."

He sighed. "You look beautiful by the way." He hugged her. "Take good care of my sister, Lewis."

Simon nodded. "Will do." They shook his hands and he made his way to the kitchen where Jon had stolen his girlfriend.

He got there just in time to hear the end of Clary's question.

"Getting here?"

"Said she'd be here within twenty minutes, so probably a couple minutes after mom and Maryse get here with the corsages you guys forgot to pick up." He gave her a pointed look.

Their moms had a panic attack about twenty minutes ago when they realized no one had picked up their flowers. They had sped off to get them and were due to be arriving back anytime soon. Luke and Robert were due to get back soon from work and then they would take pictures before they went to the school for more pictures and take the limo to the park for even more pictures. And then from there they were driving to the Botanical Gardens in Cleveland. Then back to the school they would go where they would load the buses to go to Kalahari. It was going to be a very long but fun day for everyone. And Jace was kind of sad Jon would not be with them, even though that meant he could kiss Clary anytime he wanted without a protective older brother to worry about. So he takes that back, he's kind of glad Jon would not be joining them.

"Girls!" Their mom's voices came through the hall. "You look so beautiful." They hugged their own and each other's daughters before they pulled Jace in for hugs. Simon got pulled into a hug from Jocie before they were ushered outside to take their first pictures.

Their dads showed up and joined the pictures. And when Seelie came they had her take a picture of everyone there when Max got off the school bus and wandered over to see his sisters off. And his brother.

Clary was now wearing the corsage on her wrist and had pinned the boutonniere on his chest, thankfully without poking him this time. He had been stealing kisses the whole time, their phones already full of pictures that Iz and Jon had taken.

He helped her into his passenger seat, their bags in the back for later, and than he was driving to school.

"You look so beautiful, you know?" He kissed her hand.

She squeezed his in response, looking so happy in his passenger seat. When he got to the school he could not resist taking pictures of her holding his hand to post on his snap chat.

 _when your girlfriend is a fucking goddess_

She was looking at the camera with a slight pull on one side of her lips. Her skin looked tanner in the lighting, a warm glow to her features. He thinks it is his new favorite picture of her because it shows exactly what he sees when he looks at her, love and perfection.

Clary pulled out her phone and took a couple of selfies of the two of them in the good lighting before turning the camera on to him. He smiled widely at his beautiful girlfriend behind the camera before he picked up her hand and kissed it, looking directly into the camera.

She moved her hand to the side of his face as she showed him the boomerang. He could practically see the love radiating off of him as he looked at her.

 _look how handsome my cute boy is_

She posted it to her Instagram story after the one of her and Izzy halfway though getting ready. He kissed the side of her head before climbing out of the car and opening the door for her. He helped her out and they walked hand in hand to the front of the school where people were waiting to take pictures.

"Oh my God!" Some of Clary's friends took her from her as they rushed to hug her and take pictures. He stood back and waited, a small smile on his face. He greeted some of the guys as they all waited to be told what to do. He did not mind just watching as he stared shamelessly at his girlfriend. He wondered if she was going to get Prom Queen, too. It was rare if they won both crowns but if anyone could do it, it was her.

"Hey." Some of his friends greeted him with hugs and how are yous?

Jace greeted them all, never letting his gaze fall from Clary for longer than a few seconds. She finally made her way back to him, her small hand fitting inside his large one.

"What's next?" He asked her, his other hand pushing one of the curls off her face.

"Pictures on the front stairs with everyone."

"Okay." He let her lead him and did what everyone asked, trying to make this as perfect as possible for her.

"Are you okay?" She asked him as they walked to the limo bus that pulled up when they were done. "You're not acting like yourself."

He kissed her temple. "Yeah, I just want today to be perfect for you."

"It's just prom." She rolled her eyes at him. "I just want to have a good time with my friends and my boyfriend but I can't do that if you act so reserved all night."

He stopped outside of the bus and pulled her in for a searing kiss, well aware of the fact that he was taking off her lipstick.

"Better?" He asked as he pulled back, a wide smile on his face.

"Much." She tugged him up the stairs and sat next to him on the bench. He kept his arm tight around her as she pulled out the little mirror and tube of lipstick she had in her clutch that she brought for this very reason. He watched as she fixed her lips before wiping the lipstick off his own lips.

"You know." He mumbled against her fingers. "I think this lipstick it too problematic."

She laughed. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." He pouted. "I don't like not kissing you the way I want."

She rolled her eyes. "Surely you can control yourself for a few hours?"

He shook his head like the toddler he was. "Nope, not when you look the way you do."

"Well, Iz would kill me if this got messed up before even reached the dance so you are going to have to wait."

He pouted again, resting his head on her shoulder. "I love you." He mumbled.

"I love you, too." She kissed his cheek before wiping it off. He groaned, wanting his girlfriend's regular lips back.

"Can you believe you're graduting in two weeks?" He asked her, still whispering.

"No." She shook her head. "It went by so fast."

He raised his eyebrows at that. This year had been anything but fast for him.

"It feels like just last week I was starting high school and dating the most popular kid there, sister to the second."

He smiled. "And now?"

"Now I'm finishing school, still dating the love of my life, and looking forward to our future together."

He kissed her head. "It's going to be so great."

"I know." She grabbed his hand as the limo pulled to a stop in front of the park. "I can't wait."

"Yeah you can." He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Enjoy these next few weeks, I'll always be here for you but they won't."

She nodded, standing up. He led her out of the limo bus and into the large crowd of people waiting to get their pictures. He instantly lost his girlfriend to the thongs of underclassman and he waited patiently for people to finish with her, taking some pictures himself, before they made it to where their families were waiting for them.

Her grandparents were here now, smiling at their gorgeous granddaughter. Izzy was greeting their grandparents who moved on to dote on him before they all took their pictures.

"Jace!" He turned to see a group of girls two years younger than Clary coming up to him. He raised an eyebrow at them, he had hoped they had forgotten about him over the past year. "Can we get a picture?"

"Sure." He gave them a tight smile before doing the smirk every guy did at the camera. When one of the girls put her hand on his stomach he carefully pushed it away, the pose becoming far too intimate for his liking.

He walked away from the group of girls and back to where his family was, his arm sliding back around his girl.

"Quite the ladies man." She grinned up at him.

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes, glancing back at the girls. "I had hoped they got over their crush."

She giggled, glancing over at the girls her self. "You know over break, when I was talking about what those girls said?" He nodded. "Well they were the biggest number of the girls who said something which is why I wasn't too concerned with letting you know."

"And the others?" He asked, leaning his forehead on hers, his hands resting on her soft back.

She smiled. "And that matters because?"

He sighed. "Because it made you upset and I want to know."

She glanced over at a group of girls, all wearing their own prom dressed. Jace's eyes followed and he was surprised. He recognized a few which meant that they were at least kind of friends and if they were friends with her, then they should have understood how much they cared for each other. Anyone could see it.

"Really?" He looked back over at her. "And are you still friends with them."

"Jace." She sighed. "I don't think you know what I mean when I say they only imply these things, half the time they don't even mean anything by it."

"And the other half?"

She smiled. "They tend to be girls who have never talked to you or me so their opinions don't matter anyways."

He kissed her lips as softly and gently as possible, not wanting Iz to yell at him again.

"Alright, I'll let it go for now." He pulled away from her just far enough so his hand was still resting on her soft back. "But I will come back to it."

She rolled her eyes, turning away from him completely, but not far enough for his hand to slip off her.

"Have fun you two." Clary granny hugged the two, her husband standing behind her waiting to hug them. "You look gorgeous." Her hand rubbed Clary's cheek and then they left, allowing their other grandparents to say goodbye before they too left.

Then the four of them and their families headed over to the gazebo to take pictures of their entire grade and the girls and the boys seperatly. He stood with his arms around his girlfriend and a real smile on his face, happy to do this for her. And than he was leading her back to the limo they arrived in, ready to get prom started.

Jon stopped the two with smiles, hugging his sister and his best friend. "Take care of my sister tonight, Herondale."

"Always do." He smiled at his best friend before grabbing Clary's hand and making their way to the bus.

They climbed in and someone hooked their phone up to the speaker, blasting music through the small area. Clary was smiling and dancing in her seat with all her friends, Jace's arm behind her wearing his own smile.

"Clary." Iz pulled her up from the seat and they began dancing, their laughter infectious. Jace got up and started dancing with them and the rest of the bus joined, the two hands up and their laughter loud.

He grabbed Clary by her hips and pulled her flush against him, her back pressed up against his chest. She wrapped her arm around his neck, her elbow bending around it. They moved together and he buried his large smile in her neck, happy.

"I love you." He mumbled into her neck.

"I love you, more." She whispered back.

"I love you most." He tightened his hold on her. "And I'm so happy to be here with you today."

She turned in his arms, pulling him down so she could kiss him quickly. "I'm so glad you could make it, too."

He hugged her, his arms moving up from her waist to her shoulders so he could hug her as tight possible. She wrapped her thin arms around his waist and it was like the two of them disappeared. The loud music disappeared from the background and he lost himself into the world of Clary. The smell of her hair and the feel of her skin and the way she just fit so perfectly in his arms. With her heels it felt so bizarre to hold her as her head was not resting on his heart for once but rather his shoulder. Still, it was more right than any other feeling in the world, to hold her in his arms.

"I think I might get a nose ring."

"Really?" He asked, going with her train of thought. "A stud? A ring? The bull?"

"A ring." She smiled at him. "Do you think I'd look okay?"

He gave her a look. "I don't think there's a single thing you wouldn't look good with."

"I think I'll get it before graduation then." She decided.

"I can't wait to see it." He poked her nose. "Because you have the most perfect nose to begin with."

She shook her head at him. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Absolutely everything." He kissed her forehead. "Because you're the greatest person on this planet and I could live a hundred lives and never deserve you but I'm too selfish to care."

"No your not." Her forehead was resting on her chin. "You're not selfish at all, you give me so much, Jace and I don't ever want to live a day without you again."

"Me neither, angel." He kissed her forehead. "And you won't, not if I can help it."

She smiled sadly at him. "I think that's out of both of our hands."

"I know, baby." He closed his eyes. "I know."

The limo came to a stop and the phone was disconnected, bringing them back to the real world. He kissed her once more before they exited the bus. He helped her down, grabbing the bottom of the dress so she wouldn't ruin it by accidentally stepping on it.

"Why, thank you." She smiled at him.

"You're very welcome." He kissed her on the lips, harder than before. Her lipstick smeared and he groaned. She only laughed as she wiped his lips before taking out the the tube of lipstick and handing it to him.

"You want me to do it?" He asked, incredulous.

"You messed it up, it's only fair." She wiggled it in front of his face.

He grabbed it and sighed, gently pulling her face towards him. "Don't blame me if this is really bad."

"Kiss me first." She leaned in. "Since it's already messed up."

He obliged, really kissing her like he had wanted to do all night. His hand pushed at her soft back, pulling her in as close as possible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and met him with as much enthusiasm as he was giving.

He was as careful as he could be, not wanting to mess up her hair or any other part of her makeup. He was also as mindful as he could be because they were standing just inside the building and only a couple feet away from everyone else. She pulled away when his hand slid lower and he could no longer feel her skin but the material of her dress.

"Is there even any left?" She asked him, wiping his lips with her thumb.

"No." He wiped the sides of her mouth where it had smudged a little before opening the lipstick and rolling it out. "And I can't promise I'm going to be any good at this."

"I don't know why you wouldn't be." She kissed him quickly. "You know my lips better than anyone else."

"That I do my dear." He coated her bottom lip and the arch of her top lip. "That I do."

She rubbed them together and he wiped off the little portion that had landed off her lips before kissing her nose.

"Perfect as always."

"Come on." She tugged his arm. "I want to go see the garden."

"Did you bring your pencils?" He teased, swinging their arms back and forth.

"Good one." She walked through the rooms and out the back doors, leading them back to the beautiful day. It was warm for Ohio and Jace was glad for that. He wanted to look at his gorgeous girl for as long as possible.

They walked around the garden until she had seen every flower, opting not to climb up the tree house as she would have found a way to split her dress in two. Instead they made their way back to the sitting room, taking their seats at their tables. It was already full, Iz sitting right next to Clary with Simon on her other side.

"Hey." She greeted them as she tore a piece off her buttered bread.

Clary and her started talking as he looked around the place. One of the walls consisted of a ceiling to floor window that showed parts of the beautiful garden.

Clary had plans to go get pictures with him as the sun set and he was more than willing to oblige. Last year she had done everything he wanted to do, which consisted of sitting off by themselves and talking the entire time. But Clary was so much better than him and enjoyed being with people so that's what he'd do.

"Did you know there's an inside rainforest thing here?" She asked him.

"Do you want to go check it out?" He asked her, already rising from his seat.

"Duh." She smiled at him as he helped her out of her chair.

They walked through the door and were instantly hit by a wave of hot air that made Jace wish he had ditched his coat. But Clary was looking around in wonder as the walked, careful to stay away from the little waterfall that spilled over one edge.

"Look." She pointed to a butterfly. "They're beautiful."

"Very." He agreed, though he wasn't looking at the butterflies.

One landed on her and she asked him to take a picture. It perched on her hair and she smiled at the camera, her beauty radiating. It only took a minute longer for them to walk the entire thing and then they took the elevator up and walked around up there, too.

By the time they left he was hotter than he would have liked so they headed outside to cool down a bit. The sun was setting then so she asked one of her friends to take a picture of the two. He dipped her for one of their poses, kissing her lightly. She gripped the back of his head as her head fell back and laughter poured out of her mind. He smiled into her neck before bringing her up right.

"You two are the cutest." Her friend smiled as she handed Clary her phone back. "I want photo creds."

Clary nodded at her, a large smile on her face as she looked down at the photo. Jace leaned over her shoulder to look at the photo, his hand resting on her hip.

It was dark enough in the pictures that it was more their silhouettes than themselves which is what Clary had been going for. She stopped flicking through when she reached one of the ones with her head back and his head buried in her neck.

"You're so beautiful." He kissed her cheek.

She opened up her Instagram as they walked and geared the photo up to post. He figured he should do the same.

They sat down in their seats and Jace searched through his photos for a favorite. His fingers stopped over a photo he had taken of just get earlier at her house. She was looking at him with a slight smile bit nothing major, the top half of her body in the photo. It wasn't as nice as the one he taken in his car so he scrolled past it, wanting to find one of the two of them. He did. A picture of the two of them about to kiss, large smiles on both their faces.

He tagged her in the photo before trying to come up with a caption. He could do cheesy and honest. He could talk about how much he loves her or wants to kiss her even at the most inopportune times. He could let the photo speak for itself. Or he could just let his fingers take over.

 _I took you to your first ever high school dance four years ago and now I'm taking you to your last. a lot has changed since then but i am still just as much in love with you and all that you do, if not more. next dance i'll take you to, you'll be wearing white ;)_

He posted it before scrolling through the other prom pictures people had posted and liking them. Iz had posted two pictures. One of her and Simon which he liked but didn't look at very long. The other of her and Clary hugging like the best friends they were. Well almost best friends because he was her best friend. Best girl friend.

 _you have been my best friend since you moved into the house behind mine and you will be my best friend long after we both move out. you have been right by my side through everything and i never want that to change. i am so excited to be with you at Ohio State next year. Go bucks!_

He liked it and told her to back off his girlfriend because she was his goddamn it.

Than he scrolled to Clary's photo. Or the first one. She had also posted one of her and Izzy. Clary was standing in front of Iz with her chin on the back of her hands, a wide grin on her face. Iz was leaning her elbows on Clary's shoulders, her own chin on the back of her hands.

 _look how beautiful my best friend is_

 _look how beautiful you are_

He scrolled a photo further and saw the one she posted of the two of them. He grinned at the photo and even wider at the caption.

 _i love you and all that you do_

Short and simple, just like her. Simple in the way he loved her, there was nothing to it, he would love her forever, simple.

The food came quickly and disappeared even quicker. He held her to him as they danced, fast and slow. He smiled at her as she smiled at him and other people. He watched as she was crowned prom queen and as she danced with the prom king, looking so beautiful. He took her back in his arms then and danced the last song with her.

"Prom is over-hyped." She whispered to him.

"I know, we discussed this last year." He whispered back, his head leaning on hers.

"I know." She paused. "What I'm trying to say it thank you for being you."

"Being me?" He questioned.

"For making this such a great night."

The music ended but they stayed put, no longer swaying. "Oh, angel. The night's not over yet."

She grinned as he pulled her hand and grabbed her clutch as they passed the table they had been seated at. They loaded their bus and drove back to the school where they all changed into comfy clothes and headed to the school provided buses to drive to Kalahari.

They slept on each other the way there, his back against the window with her laying on top of him. It was surprisingly comfortable. More comfortable than Simon and Izzy looked, awkwardly leaning on each other.

Kalahari was all theirs for the night. And per Prom tradition, he would spend almost the whole time with her in the wave pool, kissing in the water. It was the couple pool tonight.

"See you in a second." She let go of his hand and slipped into the locker room to change into her bathing suit.

He did the same, pulling on compression shorts and a pair of trunks. Over spring break he had seen her in a bathing suit every single day and he wondered what kind of torture she was going to put him through today.

Extreme, apparently. She walked out in a green two piece, the gold body necklace she was wearing with her dress earlier was still on. It cut down her chest and wrapped around the smallest part of her waist. The waist that his two hands could wrap around, just as the gold chain was wrapped around it now.

"Clary." He groaned as she reached him. "You need to stop doing this to me or at least give me a warning next time."

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and led him further into the park. "Let's go to the wave pool."

He followed her gladly, taking in the back view of her. Her bottoms were skimpy and showed off her toned ass, thank you volleyball.

"A little soon, don't you think?" He asked her as they walked, him now even with her.

"For what?" She turned to him, her face now empty of the makeup she was wearing earlier. Only the black on her eyelashes remained.

"The wave pool." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You don't want to do any rides first?"

She pulled them to the right then to where the giant staircases were that lead to the giant tube slides. They climbed them, laughing at each other when they got tired half way up the stairs because it was such a high climb. They reached the top and watched as a group of their friends went down the slide before climbing into the tube themselves.

The water was warm against their dry skin, thankfully, as they went flying down the tube until they crashed into the pool below. He helped her out of the tube and then ran back up the stairs to go on a different ride. And then a couple more after that.

"Are you ready for the wave pool, now?" She teased him a little under an hour later.

"Yeah, as fun as that was, I'd much rather just kiss you in the pool like everyone else." He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet.

"Jace!" She laughed as he swung her around.

He kissed her cheek and placed her back on the ground before practically running with her to the wave pool. There were no waves going when they got there so they waded out among the other people until he was standing where his head was barely out of the water.

Her legs were wrapped around his waist, her hands resting on his shoulders. His hands wrapped around her waist and he met her body necklace.

"I like this." He told her, pulling on it lightly. "Is all this new?"

"Yeah, Iz and I got everything when we went shopping for our Prom dresses." Clary told him, lifting it slightly off her chest to look at the chain herself. "I found it and Iz convinced me to try it on and then to buy it."

"Well, I really like it." He kissed her quickly. "And I'm really glad that you bought it."

"Did you like the dress?" She asked.

He looked at her incredulously. "No shit, angel. You're a bloody goddess, my goddess."

She clung to him, kissing him hard and he met her with the same intensity. She seemed not to mind for once, as she did not pull away like normal. The fact that they were surrounded by couples doing the same thing as them seemed to allow her to let go. So his head tipped further back as she kissed him even harder, her small body wrapped tightly around him.

Jace felt a force hit him from the side and he broke away from her to see that the waves have started up again. Clary let go of him and bobbed in the waves hand in hand with him, laughing at him as he ducked into them so his face and hair became drenched in the water. She followed him under the waves, her hair absorbing the water and growing in length as it straightened slightly. He had pulled the ponytail out sometime during their kiss.

They swam through the waves until they stopped and them wrapped themselves around each other again to talk in whispers and kisses. His fingers slipped under the strings of her bottoms and she caught his wrist with her hand, pulling back.

"What?" He asked her, kissing her neck. "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah, we're in public." She let go of his wrist to push his head away slightly. "And you're tempting me."

He paused, not expecting that. "Well, why don't we go somewhere?"

"Because we can't." She kissed his lips softly. "We're not allowed in rooms and I'm not doing it anywhere else."

"How much longer?" He asked, pulling at her bottom lip. "Because I've been waiting for hours and hours and I don't know how much longer I can wait."

"You seem to forget sometimes." She moved her mouth to his ear. "That I want you just as much." She bit his earlobe. "You know that right? That this is hard for me too?"

His grip on her tightened, along with another part of him. "Yeah, well you're so much better and stronger than me, but it is nice to know you're attracted to me as much as I am attracted to you." He kissed her under her ear.

Her arms tightened around his neck as she pulled him hard against her. Her legs were wrapped as tight as they could be around his hips and her lips were kissing him with a bruising force.

"I am-so fucking-attracted to you-always." She said as she kissed him. "And you're stupider-than I thought-if you believe otherwise-if even for a second."

"Stupider than you thought?" He mumbled, his heart not really in it as she pulled at his lips and said those words that made him lose all sense of thought.

"Yeah." She bit his bottom lips gently. "Because you are the most gorgeous man I have ever met and you knew that before you started dating me."

"You humbled me." His hand ran up and down her back. "And you made me recognize the gorgeousness in everything, especially you."

"Would you still love me if I lost an eye?"

"Yes."

"Would you still love me if I lost the ability to move?"

"Yes."

"Would you still love me if I lost myself along the way?"

"Yes."

"Would you still love me if I lost my love for you?"

He sucked in a breath. "Yes, but please don't because I think I'd die."

She kissed him. "Don't worry, I won't."

"Would you still?" He asked her. "Would you still love me if I lost my love for you."

Her lips left his to rest on his shoulder as she hugged him tight. "Yeah, I would."

He hugged her back, his heart beating rapidly. "Well it's a good thing we don't have to worry about that, then."

"Twenty minutes."

"What?" He asked, confused.

"That's how much longer until breakfast is served and we are going to get ready to leave."

"Perfect."

"And then?" She asked him.

"Bed time." The waves began rocking them again but he did not let her go, instead letting the waves take the two of them a little ways in.

"And what does bed time consist of?" She asked.

"Whatever you want." He answered honestly. "Sleeping or more, I don't care."

"Well what do you want?" She asked him.

"I want you now, but we already talked about that."

"Then let's go, get ready for breakfast." But she did not move and he did not loosen his grip on her.

"Will you be taking this off?" He pulled on her body necklace.

"I don't know. Do you not want me to?"

"I'm afraid I've grown rather partial to it. It's hot."

She pulled back from him and swam away, him hurrying after her. Her feet touched the ground and he was out of the water to his chest as he walked by her side, his hand on the small of her back. The gold chain resting against his palm.

"That depends." She finally said. "What type of sleeping we'll be doing."

"What type do you want to do?" He asked her, stepping completely out of the water, his fingers finding hers.

"That depends." She looked up at him. "On how tired you are."

"Me?" He asked.

"Yeah, you." He caught her as she slipped, falling into him. "Because this whole night has been about me and I want later to be about you."

"If it's about you, it's about me." He held her face as he kissed her. "Because what's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine."

"So you had a good time?"

He looked at her worried. "Did you not think I was?"

She shrugged, looking away from him slightly. "I was worried, I know you'd much rather have just spent the night alone with me somewhere."

He laughed slightly. "Angel, this night isn't about me. It's about you. And as long as you're happy, I'm happy. And I did have a good time. I wouldn't be surprised if you made a funeral fun for me, because at the end of the day, my idea of a good time is being with you."

She smiled sweetly at him as they began to walk once more.

"Wait for me outside." She told him as they walked in to their separate changing rooms.

"You know it."

He slipped on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt, sliding on a jacket. There were a couple other people changing but he knew that a large majority of the people were still in the park enjoying the ride.

He parked himself on a bench outside and waited for Clary to come out. She did, wearing a pair of joggers and an old hoodie of his from middle school that fit her perfectly. It didn't even fit Max anymore.

"Ready?" She asked him, giving him her hand.

"Born ready." He used the hand to pull her in for a kiss when he was on his feet.

They found the food and piled their plates with way too much bacon to be considered healthy. And then they sat there with her feet in his lap as they talked and waited for everyone else to finish. Iz and Simon joined them, smiling as they dug into their own plates of bacon.

"Have a good time?" He asked his sister as Clary and Simon talked.

"The best." She grinned at him. "You?"

"I had a lot of fun." He smiled at her. "I enjoyed this year better than last year."

"That's because you had an older brother to worry about." She rolled her eyes. "And as fun as it is to do these things with your best friend, it's mostly for you and your date if you bring one and that does not quite work when your best friend is your date's brother."

Jace nodded, closing his eyes. "Not to mention the fact that my girlfriend looks like a fucking goddess."

Iz grinned. "There's that, too."

"Are you excited to graduate in two weeks?" He asked her.

"I am and I'm not." She lifted one of the sides of her mouth at him. "I'm ready for my next chapter and all, I'm just sad to see this one close."

"I get it, but you're going to have so much fun with Clary next year."

"As long as you don't steal her all the time."

"You'll meet new people." He smiled at her. "I won't."

"Yes you will, it's college."

"You're going to have a very different experience than I do." He told her with a smile. "And they're both great."

Izzy nodded, she knows what he went through at school. The reason he wanted Clary to spend the night with him every night, besides the fact that he liked sleeping next to her, is that he did not know if they would have time to see each otherwise, depending on when her classes ended up being and where she lived in relation to him. Football was more time consuming than a job would be on top of his classes.

"It's time to load the buses." The chaperone announced.

The four of them stood up and made their way to the entrance so they could walk to the buses. They were at the school two hours later.

"To the cabins!" Clary smiled wildly at him.

Another prom tradition. A large group of students always went to the cabins to spend the weekend. Jon was going to meet them there the next day with Seelie but Jace wasn't going to worry about that tonight.

While they were sleeping against each other he had felt the gold chain around her and he knew that her brother was going to be the furthest thing from his mind tonight.

"Jace." He looked over at her as he parked their car next to their cabin thirty minutes later.

"Clary."

"I love you." She leaned across the consul to kiss him.

"I love you, too."

She pulled back with a grimace. "This thing is starting to really bother me." She pulled at the chain.

"Well, I can help with that." He smirked at her, kissing her one last time before he grabbed their bags and headed into cabin. He found their room, closed and locked the door before turning to his goddess. She was wearing nothing but the chain now and he had promised to help her with that, and he never breaks his promises.


	9. Chapter 9

Jon was tasked with distracting Clary why Jace finished setting up for their anniversary thing he was doing. He wouldn't tell Jon as he wanted it to be an absolute surprise for Clary. And that he didn't want anyone to know before she did.

So that meant making her brunch and spending time with his sister. Both were easy things. And now that they were sitting in her room as she got ready for him to pick her up he was going to be sad to see her leave. Clary had curled her already curly hair, something that confused him to no end, and now was brushing a multitude of colors on her eyelid. Honesty, if he wasn't watching her do it he would probably not even be able to tell that she was wearing it. Oh to be a girl.

"Did Seelie like the sweatshirt?" She asked, looking at him through the mirror.

"Yeah, she says thanks by the way." He smiled at his sister. "She also said that she's had your birthday present picked out since she met you."

"I can't wait. I'm also going out with Seelie the first weekend and I'm stoked."

Jon's eyebrows shot up. "Does Jace know that?"

She rolled her eyes, her eyes moving away from him. "Yeah, he said I'm not allowed."

"But you're still going?"

"He's my boyfriend, not my dad."

"He's not saying no because he doesn't trust you or want you to have fun." Jon tried to explain his stupid best friend and his stupid mouth. "It's going to be your first time experiencing night life while drunk off your ass in a group of beautiful girls without the one person who cares about you more than anything. The first weekend is not a safe weekend to experience that."

She was quiet for a second. "All he said was that I wasn't allowed to go without him."

"It's Jace." Jon rolled his eyes thinking of his best friend. "When has he ever been good about saying what he's actually thinking the first time."

She cracked a smile. "It's just weird because I got so used to doing everything on my own while he was away and making all my own decisions without someone else's input and now that we're back in the same city it's just weird, even after almost two months."

He paused, his mind jumping to something that he prayed would never be true. "Clary, do you not want to be in a relationship with Jace anymore?"

Her head whipped around to face him, her mouth dropping open. No words came out as she spluttered, looking for words. "You think that after all I went through this past year that I would break up with him now?"

He let out a small breath, relieved beyond words. Not only would their break up absolute wreck Jace it would also put him in the world's most uncomfortable spot imaginable. "So what are you saying then?"

"Nothing." She turned back to the mirror. "Just that I forgot what talking things through with Jace was like because we had been so good. We had talked about how communication was the only thing that would keep our relationship going and that he couldn't hold things in or not say what he really wanted and he been doing really good."

"He trusts you." Jon reassured her. "About the going out thing, the man just never wants to see you get hurt and he knows that no matter who you go out with, they wouldn't be able to protect you like he could."

"I guess I just never saw the reason to be protected." She said, pausing with the brush. "All I'm doing is going out."

"And in most cases it is just going out but there's always the chance that something terrible could happen. It's a slim to none chance but it's still a chance and Jace just wants what's best for you." Clary nodded. "Seelie goes out all the time, if you decide you don't want to go out the first weekend by your own accord there are plenty of other chances. And we can go to once the season is over."

She nodded, packing her make up away. "I'll talk to Izzy and Seelie I guess, you don't think he'll mind on another night?"

"I'm sure he'll always be worried but he knows he's not your dad and he can't forbid you from going out and can't protect you forever, but going out another time I'm sure would help him feel loads better. He might even offer to go out with you on another night sober."

Clary stood up, shrugging. "I'm sure we'll talk about it later. Now, did he say what I should wear?"

"No, just that you're going to want a lot of pictures."

"A dress it is then." She sorted through her closet until she held up two dresses. "Blue or pink?"

"Blue." He said. He hated himself for knowing that was Jace's favorite dress on her. It was off the shoulder and flowed down with a lot of ruffles.

She came back out a minute later and stood in front of the mirror, twirling a little so she could see all sides.

"Good?" She asked him.

"Good." He confirmed

"Good's not good enough." She said, grabbing the pink one and going back to the bathroom.

"It's Jace, he wouldn't care if you showed up in a pair of sweats and a hoodie." He yelled through the door.

"Well I want to look good for him and for me." She yelled back so she could hear him.

He rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. The door to her room opened and Jace walked in with flowers and a smile, wearing a pair of dark green chinos and a dark button up rolled to his elbows. He wasn't wearing a tie and the first couple buttons were all open. Jon was secure enough in his own masculinity to recognize that he had a very good looking best friend.

"Hey man." Jon greeted him.

"Hey." Jace smiled at him, sitting down next to him on the bed. "She still getting ready?"

"Yeah, she's just putting a dress on."

Jace nodded, looking towards the bathroom door that was hiding his girlfriend from him. It opened a few moments later and she walked out, her head down as she looked at the dress.

"How about this one, Jon." She asked, her hands smoothing out the dress. She did not know that he was there.

"You look beautiful." Jace said before Jon could. Her face rose when she heard his voice so he could see just how beautiful she was as she smiled wildly at him. Her hair was curled softer than normal and her eyes were bright against the dark lining her eyes. The dress was a pale pink and dipped deliciously low against her chest and clung to her tightly. It was held up by the tiniest straps and tied just above her hip. The dress stopped about mid thigh and showed the rest of her milky legs that ended in a pair of wedges.

"Happy four years babe." He told her, handing her the flowers as he stood to greet her.

"Happy four years." She repeated, ignoring the flowers for a moment in favor of hugging him. "Thank you." She said as she let go of him and took the flowers. He watched her as she grabbed a vase from her room from the multiple times he brought her flowers. She filled it in the bathroom before placing it at her bedside.

"Bye Jonny." She kissed her brother's cheek before coming back into his arms, his hand falling to the small of her back. "Don't wait up."

"Have fun, Clare-bear." He called as they exited her room. "And take care of my sister, Herondale."

"I have been for the last four years." He called back, smiling down at his girlfriend as the reached the bottom of the stairs. He kissed her. Jon was no doubt going to his room to face time his own girlfriend and Luke had taken Jocelyn on their own date tonight. So he took advantage of the moment of privacy to kiss her like she deserved.

"Hello." She muttered, dazed when they pulled apart.

"Hey." He hugged her. "Thank you for not wearing lipstick this time."

She laughed into his shoulder. "It was the least I could do."

"Come on, let's go." He went to lead her out the door and she paused to grab something wrapped in blue from next to the door.

"So, where are we going?" She asked as they walked to his car.

"You're cute." He helped her into the passenger seat. "If you think I'm going to tell you in the first minute after I have been planning this for weeks."

She pouted so he leaned in to kiss her again before closing the door. He got in on his own side and back out. She grabbed his hand.

"You look very handsome by the way." She told him, holding his hand.

"Anything for you." He smiled over at her. "Can you believe that we've been dating for four years now?"

"Can you believe I was fourteen then." She countered with a laugh.

"And I was only fifteen. It's all gone by so fast."

"I know." She said as he hopped on the highway.

"Do you ever wish you had been single during high school?" He asked her.

"Honestly, I never once thought about it until this year when I sometimes felt like I was single. And maybe it was because I wasn't that it sucked so bad, either way, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

"So you don't wish I would have waited to ask you out?"

"No, I get the perks of being single in high school, I just don't think anything could be better than what I had. You?"

"I only wish I could have dated you sooner."

"We were best friends though, and in middle school there's not really a difference."

He snorted. "I don't think so. You could kiss and you did kiss other guys."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to see you." She squeezed his hand.

"That's okay." He squeezed hers back. "You see me now. Besides, I would rather have what we have now, then a middle school romance that might not have lasted."

"I love you." She told him with such sincerity.

"I love you, too." He told her as he got off the highway. He took her away from the busy suburban life she as used to and to the more deserted roads. It was a little after 8 o'clock now and it was getting darker as the sun began to set.

He drove her though the unfamiliar roads for five minutes until he pulled into a driveway of sorts. It was one of the properties he worked at over the summer. The drive led to an old barn that no one used owned by an older lady who lived a couple acres away. There was a gazebo near the barn that he had asked her if he could borrow for the night and decorate for his girlfriend. He had come after work to clean it up and decorate it for their date for the last week.

He had been driving on the road for about a minute before it finally came into view. It was a dark wooden gazebo he had wrapped the posts in battery powered fairy light, as well as the railing of the stairs. He had strung them on the top, both on the inside and the outside. He had set up a circular table in the center and draped a white table cloth over it. He had brought two white chairs up to the sides of the table. There was speaker playing some soft music and some bug repelling candles set everywhere.

"Jace, you're too much." Clary said, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "It's beautiful."

"Nothing is too much for you, you're beautiful."

She grabbed his shoulders and brought him in for a hard kiss that took his breath away. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

"Come on, the food's going to get cold." He reminded himself more than her.

She climbed out of the seat and he opened the trunk to grab the bag of food he had brought. Maryse had helped him cook for her all day. They made his grandma's famous breaded chicken that Clary loved. He had also warmed up Bob Evan's mashed potatoes and corn because that was Clary's favorite and steamed some vegetables for them to eat. Jace made chocolate covered strawberries for her as Maryse made strawberry lemonade for the two. He brought nice plates, silverware, and two mason jars to drink out of.

He closed the trunk and led her by the hand to the gazebo. She placed the blue parcel on the gazebo's bench before helping him unpack the food. It was still warm as Maryse had packed it up specially. She lit the candles in the middle of the table so when it was completely dark they could still see each other. He pulled out her chair for her and kissed her on the cheek when she was seated.

"This is so beautiful." She told him, smiling widely at him. The promise wing he bought for her glistening on her chest.

"Happy four years." He said, grabbing his phone to capture her moment.

He made sure to get all of her in the photo and as much as of the table and lights in the photo as he could. He posted it to snapchat.

 _four years with this incredible girl_

She did the same, taking a picture of him smiling at her behind her phone. She posted it on her snap chat too.

 _four years with my cute boy and he stll treats me like a princess_

"Where even are we?" She asked him as she loaded her plate with food.

"An older lady I've worked for the past two summer's place." He waved to one side. "Her house is a couple acres that way and I was out this way cleaning up when I saw this place. I went back and asked her if I could borrow it because she's always loved me and she thought it was super cute so she let me."

"It is super cute." She smiled at him before looking around again. "It's perfect."

"I love you." He told her. "And there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Me too." She held his hand for a minute before going back to her food. He started on his own food, pouring some salt on the chicken. The two of them had a problem with the amount of salt they ate.

"Are you excited to go back in two weeks?" She asked him.

"Kind of." He shrugged. August third was in two weeks from then and that was the day he was to report back to OSU full time to practice. He was both ready and dreading it. He was ready to play football again but it would be three weeks before Clary would be joining him. "I'll be extra excited when you join me."

She smiled at him. "I'm excited, too. Iz and I have been planning our dorms this week."

He felt a familiar wave of selfishness crash over him. Her and Iz had bound to be excited over their first year of college right around the corner.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked her, just wanting to hear everything about it.

"It's a lot of blues, greens, and golds." She shrugged though she was sporting a large smile. "We just found our bedspreads and our bathroom stuff, I don't know, I'm excited."

"I'm sure Iz is already petitioning for half your closet."

She laughed. "We got two of those like stool things to climb in our beds that are boxes and can store clothes. And since our beds are raised that means we can stuff things under it and she bought a lot of containers for her clothes and make up and shoes and stuff."

He winced. "What are you using the underside for?"

"Art most likely." She shrugged. "I got my own set of plastic drawers to store my stuff."

He smiled at her. "I literally can't wait to show the guys the things you make."

She shook her head at him. "I'm sure they won't care."

His eyebrows raised. "Well they'll try because they all love you and your stuff it so good that even someone as stupid as me when it comes to art can appreciate than they could."

"You appreciate it because you love me." She waved her fork at him with a smile. "Don't pretend you appreciate it because you actually find it good."

He pouted, a little hurt. "Agree to disagree. You have talent and I get to see it because I'm in love with you and have a front row seat to your success, but I would still be able to recognize it regardless."

She smiled at him, not looking thoroughly convinced. "Okay, babe."

"It's like this, angel." He reasoned with her. "You wouldn't watch football, most likely, without me or Jon, but now that you see it you can see what is good and what is now. I see the same with your art. I see how much better you are then other people and how much better some of your art is then other pieces."

Her head tilted slightly as she considered what he said. "I guess you're right."

He smiled widely at her, glad he could finally put that into words. "It's bound to happen every once in a while."

"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while." She said with a laugh, putting her fork down, her food gone.

He held a chocolate covered strawberry out so she could take a bite of it, the juices dripping on her lips. He moved around the table so he could kiss her, tasting the sweetness of both her and the food. She pulled back with a smack, finding another strawberry so he could eat it before kissing him. He felt so overwhelmed with all the sweetness.

"Do you think we'll always be like this?" He asked her, their lips practically touching.

"Like what?" She asked him, her voice slightly breathless.

"Crazy in love and together."

"I hope so. We've always been like this and I don't know if I can handle it if we weren't."

"I know I couldn't." He leaned his forehead completely on hers. "Thank you so much for loving me these past four years."

"Thank you so much for being so easy to love." She whispered back, her hand coming to twirl in his hair. "And for loving me even if I wasn't always easy to love."

He snorted, his hands gripping her hips. "Love, I think if anyone was the troubled one of us, it would definitely be me."

"It's endearing." She told him with a slight laugh. "And I wouldn't want you any other way, ever."

"I love you so goddamn much." He whispered, a little choked up. "And I can't wait to spend my forever with you one day."

"Me too." She was crying slightly, too. "I love you so much."

His hands moved to circle her in his arms so he could hug her to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he lifted her off the ground.

"Dance with me?" He asked her, hearing the music for the first time since they started eating.

"Always." She answered him, swaying with him on the wood of the deck.

He held her to him, her head resting on his heart, his head on top of her head. They were more hugging to the beat of the music then dancing, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Promise me you'll love me forever?" He asked her.

"I promise." She said back. "Promise me you'll love me forever?"

"I promise, always and forever." He promised, a smile on his face.

He looked up past her shoulder to see that the sun was setting almost completely. It painted the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks.

"Come watch the sunset with me?" He asked her, pulling away slightly.

She nodded and followed him out of the gazebo and around the barn to lay on the slight decline of a hill. They stretched a blanket on the ground and climbed on top of it, their legs outstretched in front of them.

"I love you." She told him, her eyes on the brilliance of God and the sky. As always, his eyes were on the brilliance of her. "And I have loved every minute of these last four years."

"Every minute?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her to pull her so she was resting her head on his shoulder. "Even this past year?"

"Well yeah." She took her eyes off the view for a minute. "It lead us here, didn't it?"

"When you put it like that how could I complain?" He reasoned. "I love you, too."

"I can imagine us in this same spot in twenty years, still staring at the beauty that is the world, my heart still aching in its love for you." She told him almost absent minded as she looked at the sky. "I can imagine all the happy years we'll have together and our beautiful house. Maybe some children, maybe not. I don't know, I don't care. I just can't wait to experience it with you."

"I can see that all too." He told her, his eyes closing as the visions flashed behind his eyes. "I can picture you looking as beautiful as ever with some gray hair peeking through your gorgeous locks. I can picture your body still fitting as perfectly as it does now. I can picture my heart still pounding at the sight of you and aching at the sight of you walking away, even if only for a minute. I can picture it all."

She sat up a little to grab the blue package she brought for him.

"Happy anniversary baby." She told him, handing him the package.

He kissed her before taking the present. It was heavy in his hands and the paper ripped off quickly. He opened the lid and was met with a stack of letter bandaged together.

"I wrote a letter almost everyday this past year." She told him, looking a little sheepish. "Some of them are drawings, or only a couple words, but I just didn't know how to put what I was feeling into words. I never planned on showing them to you but then I realized that maybe it will help you see just how much you mean to me and will always and have always meant to me. Show you that just because I didn't act all miserable, didn't mean I wasn't."

He kissed her, placing them back in the box. "Thank you, I can't wait to read you."

She smiled at him before pushing to look back in the box. He pulled the letters back out and set them aside so he could see what else was in it. There was an Ohio State t-shirt and a purple Champion crew-neck next. A book underneath that. And then there was a small black jewelry box. He pulled it out and snapped it open. There was a long gold necklace that was broken in to long chains. Near the clasp there was small pendant that hung off with a C and another one with a small angel wing .

He placed it back in the box and pulled her in for a huge hug, speechless. Coming to the Lightwoods so many years ago he had made a foolish bucket list of everything he wanted in life. On it had been a nice pocket watch, would Jon had gotten him, and a real gold necklace, among other things. He had lots of other stupid things on there that he in no way, shape, or form, wanted anything to do with anymore. It was before he had met Clary and Jon, before he came to see the Lightwoods as his family, before he knew what love was, and he had everything he wanted when he finally had. The list of stupid things he wanted would do him no good. But receiving these things that he had thought would make him happy by the people who made him happy made it so special. Because he would trade all the money and fame and anything else he would get in the future just to make Clary happy.

"I love you." He told her over and over again. "And you make me so happy."

She hugged him back. "I'm so glad, because you deserve to be so happy." She grabbed the necklace to put it on his neck. He let her, not moving from his position in her arms. "I love you, Jace Herondale."

He pulled back enough to grab the small package he bought her. "Your gift is a lot better."

"Jace, have you not seen what you did for me?" She asked him incredulously, pointing back to the gazebo. "And all that you do for me all the time?"

"Just open your gift." He told her, kissing her quickly. "So I can kiss you again."

"Okay Mr. bossy." She stuck her tongue out at him but grabbed the gift from his hand.

Jace watched as she ripped the paper off the gift. She unwrapped the Ohio State t-shirt from around the Polaroid camera he got her. She loved the one Izzy had gotten for her birthday and he couldn't resist getting one for her too.

And lastly she pulled out a picture. He hadn't framed it or anything but it was a picture of the two of them that Izzy had taken during her freshman year. It before they had even slept together the first time. It had only been September and the two of them were cuddling on the couch with their faces together, smiling and laughing at each other. Jace had said I love you at this point but she had not but he hadn't been too concerned because he could feel it in moments like those even when she couldn't express it.

"This is so cute." She held up the picture. "I can't wait to look through all our photos for our wedding and stuff, we have so many and we've went through so many different phases together."

"I look forward to it." He kissed her head. "I also got film for the camera but it isn't in yet so I borrowed a couple of Izzy's in case you wanted a picture or two."

She nodded, picking the camera up. "Are they in here?"

"No, I left them in the basket." He made to get up but she stopped him.

"I'll go grab them, be right back." She kissed him before leaving him there, staring at the almost completely gone sun. The years had been good to him and he hoped they always would be.

"Can you smile for me?" She asked him, coming up behind him with the camera in hand.

He nodded, turning in the ways she wanted him to do she could get the right picture. He convinced her to allow him one of her so he could keep it to remember this moment forever. They used the last film to take a selfie of sorts, his lips pressed into her cheek.

"I haven't decided what to post on Inatagram." She said as she laid on top of him, waiting for the photos to develop.

"Well I call those three." He said, pointing to the three Polaroid photos.

"Okay." She nodded. " I'm thinking of maybe posting a photo of all our anniversaries. "

He made a face. "Junior year was a rough year for my looks."

She slapped his chest. "Like you ever had a rough year. You're one of those annoying dudes who never peak and just keep getting better looking."

"Sorry?" He said, unsure.

"Don't be." She grinned down at him. "It's not like I mind."

"If it helps, I think you're so much prettier than I ever could be."

She kissed his nose. "I think you're a lot prettier than me, too."

He glanced at the developing photos to see that they were all ready. He grabbed them with his spare hands and showed them to her.

"I'm so excited to use this camera." She said, smiling as she looked down at the pictures. "Thank you."

"Your welcome." He hummed against her lips as pulled them between his.

They laid together on their blanket, pointing up at different constellations until she figured out what she was going to post. He took a picture of the three Polaroid photos next to each other with her laying on the blanket as their back drop.

 _i have loved you since i first laid eyes on you when you were nine and i was ten. it was back when you wore your hair in double braids all the time and before Iz corrupted your sense of style. you wore paint covered everything and your smiles used to drive me insane. it's been nine years since then, four of which i have been in love with you for. thank you for seeing me and loving me, always. there is not a single thing i would not do for you, angel. thank you for the best four years of my life._

He tagged her in the post and watched it blow up. Jace had acquired an Instagram following since he became a Buckeye. He had transformed his 1500 followers from high school into 88k. He didn't know how it happened because the only thing he posted about was Clary really, and these were all football fans. Jon had only reached 43k, a fact that he teased him for relentlessly. Granted, Jace had been tagged in a post by a senior that had sky rocketed his following, not that he really cared. He treated his Instagram like he treated his life, a fanpage for his girlfriend.

The post blew up like all of his other posts on her, which was all but like two that were about football. Or Jon. Or his family. So there were like maybe 6 that did not have to do with her. His notification came up to alert him that he was tagged in a post. It was Clary's. He clicked on it, excited to see what she wrote for him.

There was a photo of him kissing her cheek from the other day. They had gone to a concert and she was wearing a lot of sparkles on her face, a sheer top over a bra. She was sitting between his legs with her hair in double braids that looked just as good on her still, though colored strings were now woven through them. Her face was split into a wide smile, her cheek pushed into his lips. They were both covered in paint and wearing the same pair of white shoes, also covered in paint. He smiled.

He swiped to see the other photo she posted. They were ten years old and posing for the camera with his lips awkwardly pressed against her cheek. She was wearing her hair in the usual double braids, a small grin on her face. Jace's face was pink and it made him laugh, swiping back to see how far they had come.

 _thank you not only for the best four years of my life, but for all the other times you have been there for me. and for learning how to kiss my cheek properly. you are the best thing that has ever been mine, Jace Herondale, and i love you endlessly. i hope we never change, only grow._

He reached across the blanket to grab her hand. She smiled at him, shifting so she was laying in the crook of his arm. They turned back to the sky for a couple minutes before she spoke up.

"You ready to go?" She asked, turning her head to look at him.

"Go where?" He asked, looking right back at her.

"Home." She said, leaning in to kiss him. "I'm ready to get out of this dress."

"Yeah?" He asked her, his hands finding purchase on her hips as they kissed for a moment. "Then stop kissing me and let's go."

She pulled back and climbed to her feet, slipping the shoes back on she had ditched when they first sat down. He tucked the necklace down his shirt piled everything up in the blanket before grabbing it. She slipped her hand into his and they walked back to the gazebo.

"Before we go, I want a picture of the both of us." She told him, grabbing the blanket from him and setting it down.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" He asked her.

"Easy." She said, climbing up the stairs and grabbing a chair. He took it from her and set it where she wanted it. "Now go stand on the stairs."

He did as he was told, leaning against the railing to watched as she fiddled with her phone. She left it and walked over to him, sliding into his arms and smiling at the camera. It took three pictures of three different poses they did. He looked over her shoulder to see what they looked like and saw that they turned out really good.

"See, I told you." She looked up at him. "Easy."

"Hmmm." He kissed her. "I guess so."

"Do we have to clean all this up?" She asked him, stepping back up the gazebo as he replaced the chair.

"No." He shook his head. "I'll come back to get all the lights and things, just help me pack up the food?"

Five minutes later they were back in the bar, with the bag packed up again and the blanket sitting in his back seat.

"Yours or mine?" He asked her as they drove, grabbing her hand once again.

"What are your parents doing?" She asked him, her head facing out the window as she took the sights in, this time in the dark.

"Robert is in New York for work and our moms were getting together for a drink tonight, I just don't know who's."

"I'll text Izzy." She said, grabbing her phone. Not even a minute later she had a response. "They're at mine. Max is in bed and Iz is out with Simon until late."

"So mine, then?" He asked her with a smile.

"Would make sense, yeah." She looked over at him.

He shook his head, hopping back on the highway. The ride was quiet, only filled with the feeling of her hand against his and the soft music playing in the background. Her fingers were tracing and playing with his hand as they always did when she was thinking.

Jace pulled into his driveway and helped her out of her seat. They grabbed their things from the back and he helped her inside. She made quick work of the food and dishes while took the blanket downstairs so it could be washed, before they headed upstairs.

Her shoes were at the front of the house with his so his mom knew that they were both home safe. Jocie would no doubt come into the kitchen later and see it herself. It was a system of sorts that they had developed.

Clary fell back on his bed with a sign, her hair fanning out. He put his arms on either side of her head as he took her in with his eyes, painting it in his memory. Her eyes were darting around his face and he wondered is she was doing the same and would be drawing him later.

He kissed her, softly. Her arms came around his neck, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck. He knee came to rest between her two legs and the kiss became a lot less soft as their hands moved and lifted. Before long they were both laying on his bed in nothing but their necklaces. They tangled together as he moved on top of her, their lips still pressed together. The stuff she had given him on the hill was not the only gift she got. She had also got some green lace that he had been quick to unwrap, too.

"I love you." He said to her once they were laying under the covers. The fan was on and the lights were off. She was wearing once of his t-shirts and he was a in a pair of boxer briefs.

"I love you, too." She kissed him sweetly. "Thank you for today."

"Thank you for everyday." He leaned his head on hers, his eyes closed.

* * *

xoxo- one more chapter and an epilogue left! Thanks so much for all the follows, favorites, and reviews, i love reading all the of them!


	10. Chapter 10

Jon thought he was going to die if coach told them to run for one more minute. His face and body was drenched in sweat. He was shaking and he had never craved water more in his life. His hands were resting on his knees, trying to keep himself up right but he didn't know how well of a job he was doing.

"You okay man?" Sebastian asked him, his own breathing heavy.

"Yeah." Jon panted out. " I'm just feeling it more than usual. "

"Why?" Sebastian asked, sounding worried.

"I don't know." He made himself stand up right. "Bad day I guess, I better not be getting sick."

Sebastian nodded, looking scared for him. "Drink up and get some rest man."

Jon nodded, walking with the rest of the team to where their waters were waiting. Coach had shown mercy on them, thankfully, because Jon didn't know if he could handle much more with out literally peeling over.

His eyes found Jace and he wanted to roll his eyes. The kid was barely sweating even though he had probably ran even more than Jon today and he was constantly looking at the clock.

Clary was arriving today. And had probably been here for over three hours now. Jon wanted to get out of practice too so he could go see her but he wasn't obsessing over it nearly as bad as Jace. Granted, nothing Jon could do with Clary nearly as bad as Jace.

"What's up with Jace?" Will asked, coming to stand by him. "Kid has been a combination of moodiness and smiles all day and it's scaring me."

"What day is it, Will?"

"Thursday." He answered, confused.

"And what's special about today?"

"Uhhh." He managed to look even more confused. "I don't know."

"It's the day freshman move in, you waste." Jem hit him on the back of the head as he joined them, drinking his own water like his life depended on it. "And that means what, Will?"

Will had caught on now. "Clary 's coming today." His face transformed into a smile. "Clary's coming today!" He bounced over to Jace, slinging his arm around him. "Clary's coming today!"

Jace shoved him off, trying not to smile and failing. "I know you dork, get off of me."

Jon and Jen followed Will over to Jace. A couple of the other guys joined them and before he knew it, Jon was involved in a conversation with coach about his sister's arrival. More of the fact that his sister was Jace's girlfriend than Jon's sister but whatever.

"Is that the reason you've been so giddy today?" Coach asked Jace with a grin. Around November last year was when the rest of the team found out he had a girlfriend and coach had been using it against him since. Not a lot of things hit a pressure point in Jace.

"Yeah." Jace shrugged, short and simple as always with coach.

"When is she getting here?" Coach asked, looking at the clock.

"Probably around three hours ago." Jace's eyes followed his to the time.

"Then what do you say we do our final drill and get out of here." Coach walked away, already yelling. Jon sighed in relief. Only one more drill, thank you Clary.

The drill took almost half an hour in total and they were finally leaving the locker room close to an hour later. Jon and Jace were freshly showered and in clean clothes again, heading to Clary and Izzy's.

Jace was excited to see his girlfriend after three weeks. Granted that was nothing compared to what he went through last year but he still had really missed her. She had texted him an hour ago saying their parents had left and they were all moved in, only doing some finishing touches now and meeting their neighbors. Her response to his text saying they were on their way was quick though so he assumed they gave up on making friends for now.

They walked into the building and to the stairs as people were still moving in and he did not want to wait for the elevator in that. She was on the fifth floor of the building only a block away from his, thankfully.

Some people smiled at them as they went, recognizing them for the football player they were. He hoped their reps wouldn't affect the girls. As much as he hated sharing her, he did want her to meet other people and make real, life long friends.

Their door had two cute name tags hanging on it, provided by the RA. He knocked on it, excited to see his baby. It opened to reveal his sister, smiling happily at them.

"Hey Iz." He greeted her with a big hug. "Already all you imagined?"

She nodded, moving on to hug Jon and let Jace walk further into the room. It was set up nothing like his and Jon's room had been. Their beds were raised a little past the regular heights and parallel with each other so their heads were on the same wall. Dressers separated them and there was a rug on the ground. Sheets hung down the sides so you couldn't see what was under them and their desks were against the foots of their beds.

And on the bed on the left was his favorite girl. She was smiling at him, leaning back on her pillows. He smiled widely at her, surging forward to catch her as she sprung from the bed and into his arms.

"Hey pretty girl." He kissed the side of her head. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Her legs were swinging in the air, he had lifted her clear off her feet. "How's my star athlete doing?"

"Fan-fucking-tastic now that you're here." He kissed her on the lips. "How's my darling college student?"

"She's doing just fine." She whispered as he sat her down. Jon pulled her in for a hug with a large smile on his face. Jace took her in. Her curly hair was tamed so it was wavy and fell past her elbows. She was wearing a pair of short cutoffs and a yellow Stranger Things tee he had found for her.

"How come no one ever greets me like that?" Izzy asked, standing next to him.

"Spend some time away from Simon." Jace turned towards her and away from his stunning girlfriend. "If he doesn't, drop him."

She smirked. "To be honest, I don't think I could handle it, the space."

"Neither did I." He grinned at her. "Now look where we are."

"It's good to be here." She hugged him. "Big brother."

"I'm happy you're here too." He looked down at her. "Not just Clary, little sister. We've missed all of you."

"I know." She let go of him to jump on her own bed. "Like it?"

"Yeah." He nodded, looking around again. "Much better than ours was."

Clary jumped on his back, giggling in his ear as she did so. "I wouldn't say that, I liked your place."

"Yeah." He turned his head to look back at her. "I liked it when you were there too."

She kissed his cheek before sliding down his back. She used the stool next to her bed to climb up on her bed, resting against her pillows. He followed, falling between her outstretched legs.

"You can either take a seat here with me." Izzy told Jon, folding her legs. "Or grab a chair from under Clary's bed."

He grabbed a chair and plopped down. "No TV?" He asked, a little incredulous.

Clary shrugged behind him. "We've got live entertainment." She played with his hair and Jace looked up at her.

"How was move in?" He asked her, tuning his sister and almost brother out.

"Good. I'm so happy." She smiled down at him before looking around. "Do you like the room? "

"Yeah." He said though he didn't look around. He had seen enough. Instead he soaked her in with his eyes. She looked so light and happy and like everything that he loved in the world, which was her.

Her eyes met his again and she smiled. "Simon's coming up this weekend." She informed him.

"Does that mean you'll need somewhere to stay?" He asked her, his finger running down her cheek.

"Yeah, do you know anyone who might be able to help me out with that?" She asked cheekily.

"I believe I might know the perfect place." He rolled so he was laying on her face down and kissed her as passionately as he could. It had been way too long.

Unfortunately, the kiss did not last long as he was hit in the back of the head with a pillow. As he had not been expecting it, it made his head bump painfully against Clary's, their lips separating. Her hand came to her head as she groaned, a grimace on her face.

Jace turned his head with a glare. "Hey man, why'd you do that?"

"Because you were making out with my little sister in front of me." Though he did look apologetic. "I'm sorry Clare-bear."

Her eyes were closed tightly. "I'm sorry, too, Jonny."

Jace wasn't done making sure she was okay. His own head was throbbing and his skull was much thicker than hers.

"Are you okay, angel?" He asked her, bringing his hand up to the back of her head.

"Yeah." But she didn't open her closed eyes. "I just have a headache, I'm sure it'll go away soon."

He placed a light kiss to her forehead before rolling off of her and cocooning her in his arms. She had had two concussions in her lifetime and now anytime someone hit her head she had a headache for a fat minute. A painful one at that. He had learned to just hold her and keep quiet until the headache went away or she started talking.

Iz and Jon talked quietly to one another by her desk, knowing the same thing as he did. It would hopefully go away soon and then they could head over to Jon and Jace's place to have everyone meet Izzy and see Clary again.

In the meantime, Jace closed his eyes and ran his hand up and down her arm, lulling her into a doze. He could tell she wasn't actually asleep because her one hand was drawing circles on his chest where it was resting. He felt like he was going to fall asleep any second now if she kept it up.

And he did, waking up twenty minutes later when Izzy dropped something on the floor. Clary was awake, scrolling through her instagram.

"Sorry." He mumbled to her, kissing her cheek. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

She turned slightly, smiling at him. "That's okay." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Long practice?"

He shrugged, tightening his arm around her and burrowing his head in the crook of her neck. Now that he had fallen asleep even though it was not for very long, he was exhausted. He just wanted to lay with his girl for the rest of his life. She smelled and felt like home.

"How's the head?" He whispered.

"It's okay, the headache is gone now." She ran her hands through his hair and his eyes closed even further if it was possible.

"Is he finally awake?" Jon asked, coming to poke him in the face. "We're taking them back to our place now."

He groaned, he honestly could not think of a time where he wanted to leave a bed less. He did not even bother pushing his hand away, letting Clary do it for him.

"We'll be right behind you." She told Jon, scooting up so he could lay his head in her lap. "Just give me a minute."

"Alright, don't wait too long." Jon said, and a minute later the door shut behind them as they left.

She did not say anything for a minute, instead running her hand through his hair again. Then she moved so she was sitting on his stomach, her legs falling on either side of him. He kept his eyes closed, his hands coming to rest on her hips.

Her lips met his and he slowly started to respond, the need to be closer to her outweighing the need to sleep. When his hand tangled into her hair and his neck curved so the angle changed sleep became the last thing on his mind. His hand found hers and he tangled their hands together, resting them over his heart.

"I can't believe we made it." She whispered, pulling back so her lips were just out of his reach.

"I know." He muttered back, his eyes cracked open the smallest amount. He rubbed his nose against hers before he found her lips again for a soft kiss. They really had to get going. "I love you."

"I love you more." She said, her eyes opened to look into his.

"I love you most." He told her, smiling up at her. "Now let's go so I can get you back here and break this bed in."

She laughed, swinging herself off of him and onto the floor. She was so short that she needed the ottoman to get down. He foresaw a lot of falling in her future as he slid down himself and slipped his shoes back on. He grabbed his bag with one hand and her hand with his other. She pulled on a pair of sunglasses and they walked out of her room, letting it fall behind them, locking.

"Can we cut me a key?" He wondered, looking back at the door.

"It says it's not allowed to be copied but we can see." She shrugged. "Because I know I'm going to forget mine all the time."

"Well you can always just stay at mine."

"We'll see." She said as they reached the staircase. "Iz asked me if I would be leaving her alone a lot to sleep at yours."

"Yeah?" He turned to her, kind of worried that she told her no. He did not know if he would be able to see her some days if she did not and that was something he did not want to happen. He was a clingy bitch, sue him. "What did you say?"

"That if Simon lived here she would spend a lot of nights with him so she can't be mad if I do the same with you." She said, pushing the door open so they could leave the stairwell. "And that it wasn't like I will never sleep in the room, or that you would never come over. Besides, I would be sleeping alone every weekend for the first couple of months."

He nodded, proud of her for sticking up for himself. Iz had Simon spend the night during the summer just as often as Jace had Clary so it was rather hypocritical of her to ask Clary not to, especially if her and Simon were going to see each other every weekend and sleep in the same bed. Clary and him would not get to do that every weekend.

"Are you ready for the first game?" He asked her. "Because I'm ready for my good luck kisses again."

"Me too!" She smiled widely at him. "Seelie said we can go tailgate with her and I'm so excited."

"I'm so glad he found Seelie." Jace said. "I've never seen him so happy."

"Me neither." She smiled. "And I really like her and I think she feels the same."

"Well duh." He rolled his eyes with a smile at her. "Everyone likes you."

She shook her head, looking up at the building they stopped in front of. "That was really fast."

"I know." He kissed her quickly. "Isn't it great?"

She nodded. "That was like a two, three minute walk."

"You just aren't allowed to make it alone at night." He told her seriously as he led her through the doors. "Sometimes this campus is more of city than a campus."

"I won't." She told him, not even bothering to argue with him for once.

"Good, because I just got you here and I want to keep it that way."

"Me too." She leaned against the elevator wall when they entered it and he kissed her against it, making sure the ninth floor button was pressed.

It opened at the fifth floor and some girls on the volleyball team entered that he knew.

"Hey Jace!" One of them greeted him with a smile.

"Hey Ashley." He smiled at her, his arm wrapping around Clary as he could not kiss her anymore.

"Is this the famous Clary?" She asked, excited. "We all have heard so much about you from Jace and Jon!"

"That's me." She laughed, smiling at Ashley. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too." Ashley said genuinely. "We need more girls to hang with."

"Couldn't agree more." Clary said, stepping away from him to get off the elevator. The girls were gong up another two floors. "Nice meeting you again!"

"Bye Clary!" She called. "See you later Jace."

They carried down the hall and Jace opened his door. They were living in a four person this year with Jem and Will. So far it had been a lot of fun. There was a small living space and two bathrooms inside as well as two doubles. Some of the rooms had singles but Jace liked having a roommate. He had highly debated about doing the singles because that meant Clary could be there anytime she wanted but he would miss living with Jon. And now they had a living space to balance their time in.

"Hey girl." Jem and Will got off the couch to greet her. "How have you been?"

"Good." Clary hugged them. "You?"

"Tired but can't complain."

"This place is really nice." Clary said, looking around. "Where are Jon and Iz?"

"Izzy had to go to the bathroom like a minute ago and Jon is in their room, changing."

They nodded and he took the chair, guiding her down on his lap. She threw her legs off the side and he wrapped his arm around her stomach, holding her to him.

"Hey, you stole my seat." Izzy slapped his head as she walked by to sit in the other seat.

"Sorry sis." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Snooze you lose."

"How's Simon doing?" Clary cut across him. "All moved in?"

Izzy nodded. "Yeah and his roommate seems alright."

"That's good." Clary was really happy for her friend, that much Jace knew. And Jace was surprised to find that he too was happy for the kid. Now that Simon had moved past the crush he had on Clary he found the kid much more likable. He also treated Izzy with respect unlike a lot of her other douche boyfriends.

"I'm going to be there next weekend to see where he lives and meet people and help him meet people and all that shit."

Jace nodded, glad that they would have her room to themselves. He did not want to only have Clary come to his, he wanted to be comfortable in her room, too.

"That's good, I hope you have fun." Jace said.

"For you." Izzy snorted. "I know you'll be having a good time."

Jon chose that moment to come out of their room. "When will he be having a good time?"

"I won't be here next weekend, rooms all theirs."

"Thanks Izzy." Jace rolled his eyes at her.

Jon slapped him in the back of his head. "Could you seriously not have dated anyone other than my sister Herondale?"

"Hey." Clary said, her hand coming to rest on Jace's heart. "I like my man."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I love you." He kissed her lips then.

"Are we going to have to put up with this all the time now?" Will asked, though he was smiling.

"Personally, I prefer love sick Jace to sad and mopey Jace." Jon said as he sat down on the coffee table. "And I like seeing my sister."

Clary smiled at her brother before resting her head against his, closing her eyes.

"You tired?" He asked her.

"Yeah, long day." She sighed.

"Come on." He rubbed her arm. "Let's go to my room."

"Our room." Jon coughed from the table.

"Sorry." Jace grinned at Jon from where him and Clary were standing on their feet. "Knock first."

A water bottle hit him in the back and he showed them his finger before closing the door behind them. She crawled into his bed, tucking herself in his covers. He climbed in after, pulling her in his arms. He set an alarm for forty minutes.

"The guys are all getting together in about an hour, you'll get to meet some new guys."

"Oh yeah." She turned in his arms with a smile. "They nice?"

He shrugged. "Nice is a relative term for most players I have come to realize. Like Will and Jem are two stand up guys with their heads on right, same with Jon. Jordan is alright almost all of the time. Sebastian is a dick with girls but he's alright with us. Raphael is a pig but he has some morals which is more than can be said for half the team."

"I'm glad you met Will and Jem. I really like them."

"Me too." He placed his lips on her cheek. "There's this freshman named Julian, he reminds me a lot of me."

"How so?" She asked when he didn't continue.

"He's got a girl back home." He said with a smile. "They've been friends their whole lives, like even longer than us. They only started going out last year but neither one of their families are well off. He's here on a complete scholarship, his girl did not get so lucky. She's taking some classes at the community college, trying to save some money before she comes here."

"It's a smart choice."

He chuckled. "You did not think that when I tried to do it."

"That's because you're going places and it's not like I was going anywhere."

"I love you." He kissed her.

She hummed against his lips. "I love you too. And can't wait to meet this kid, you think they're going to make it?"

He shrugged. "I think that they have one hell of a chance. I'm not normally a big talker, you're an exception for everything." He kissed her temple. "So it gives me a lot of time to listen. He told me that neither one of them were interested in the other until they were juniors in high school. It was like their friendship reached its peak and left them unfulfilled. They started hating whoever was with the other person and it all exploded. They didn't talk for the entire month of June and then it exploded the other way and they were together by the time senior year started. He told me he can't even remember what it felt like to date or be with other people, it is just her and him. They fight hard and make up harder and he would not want it any other way."

"That's really sweet." She was smiling, her eyes closed. "Did you tell him about us?"

"Bits and pieces." He shrugged. "The guys all know about you so he knew I was with someone. And you're about every photo on my Instagram so it was pretty obvious I had a girl. And he pieced it together that you were Jon's sister from all the teasing and shit. But I told him that I met you when I was ten and loved you when I was 12 and have been in love with you since I was 15, but that's about it."

"Do the guys talk about me a lot?" She asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

"Kind of. I'm not very reactive so when they found something that made me react they capitalized on it. Then a sophomore last year made a comment that neither me or Jon appreciated. It was the first time they saw either one of us mad and now you seldom come up."

"Do I want to know what they said?"

"No, baby, you don't." He closed his eyes, his head resting on top of hers. "And I don't want to repeat it."

"Okay." She yawned.

"Go to sleep." He told her, his hand finding hers again and intertwining. "We have all year to talk."

"Okay." She said again, her breathing already evening out.

He envied that about her. She could fall asleep anywhere and everywhere. She was so small and could get comfortable almost anywhere. And looked so fucking adorable as she did so. Granted, he said that about everything about her.

The alarm went off and it woke him from the half doze he had been in since she fell asleep. He wasn't as tired as he had been earlier and he hadn't been able to completely fall asleep again.

He reached across Clary to turn his alarm off. She had not even flinched when the alarm went off and she was still fast asleep.

"Hey baby." He rubbed his hand up her arm. "Times up."

Her nose scrunched up but her eyes did not open which made him chuckle. She was just the cutest.

"Don't make me tickle you." His hand rested on her side.

She made a small noise of protest but her eyes still did not open.

"3... 2...1..." He started tickling her side and her eyes opened as she giggled louder and louder.

"Okay, okay." Her small hands grabbed on to his arms and he stopped, letting her push him over. "That wasn't very nice." She pouted.

"I sorry." He ducked his head so he could blow raspberries in her neck. "I love you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She was giggling as she pushed his head away. "I love you too."

"You better." He watched as she sat up, sliding out of the bed. He stayed put as she stretched before trying to fix her hair in front of the mirror on the back of his door.

"You coming or what?" She turned over her shoulder to look at him and ask with a cheeky smile.

He slid out of the bed as quickly as he could, catching her in his arms before her hand was even on the doorknob.

"Not before you hug me."

Her arms circled around his stomach, her head resting on his chest. He hugged her back, squeezing his arms around her shoulders and resting his head on top of hers. She mumbled something into his chest but he couldn't hear it.

"What was that?"

"I think you got even bigger." She repeated a little louder.

"Really?" He laughed. "It's been three weeks."

"Yeah, so unless my arms got smaller, you got bigger."

"I better stop then because I never want to lose these hugs."

She laughed. "You can be my assistant one day."

"When I retire from the NFL that sounds like the perfect plan."

"And I'll be your cheerleader."

"And my wife?" He asked.

"Obviously." She muttered, pulling back. "Now let's go introduce me to this Julian kid, he sounds cute as hell."

"Hey." He pulled a piece of her hair. "Both of you are already taken."

"Maybe his girl is okay with a hall pass."

"So what, your boy ain't."

She kissed him before opening the door.

"The love birds are back." Will teased, seeming to not have moved from the chair they had last seen him in. "That was awfully quick."

Jace hit the back of his head but he was smiling a little. Unlike most of the boys on the football team this was all in good fun.

"Yeah, and we're ready to go."

"Good, we've been waiting." Jon said, standing up.

"No we haven't." Jem rolled his eyes, also standing up. "Don't be so dramatic."

Clary laughed and ran after Jon, jumping on him. Jace and Jon would argue for hours, mostly joking, but all it took was one smile from Clary to Jon and all was good in their books. Granted, Jace didn't have any room to talk, the same exact thing worked for him too.

"Come on." Jace told Izzy impatiently, who was still sitting down and typing on her phone. "They're already out the door."

She looked up in surprise. "Sorry, what? When did you get out here? Wait, where did they go?"

He groaned. "We're having a start of the year party since we can't have one when everyone else starts, you coming?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, Simon and I were talking."

"I get it." He told her, because he did. "Now, let's go, you've still got a lot of people to meet."

"Yes, sir." She followed him into the hallway and he led her to the elevator where they were hopefully waiting up for them. "Are we not going to a dorm?"

"We are, they're on the eleventh floor, I don't want to walk the stairs."

They turned the corner and Jon was just stepping in to the elevator.

"Hurry up." He told them, holding out his arm to stop it from closing. "You've already made us late enough."

Jace rolled his eyes, moving even slower until they stepped on to the elevator. There were two other people in the elevator that Jace did not recognize. Clary was talking to Jem on one side and he couldn't help but smile when he saw her smile.

Will's arm came around his shoulder. "You're one lucky bitch, you know that?"

"Yeah." Jace said, Will's girlfriend went to Dayton. "I know it."

The doors opened and they walked out of the doors, Jace stopping so he could fall in line with Clary who grabbed his fingers as she talked to Jem.

"would be perfect for you." She was telling him.

He shook his head. "You're worse than the boys and you just got here."

"Trust me, I'm not normally a big romantic but when I met you the first time I thought damn, they would be perfect together and now she goes here."

Jace was confused. "Who?"

"Lydia." She answered him without looking.

Jace could see it. She was one of Clary's friends, one of her many many friends, but Jace didn't know her very well. Clary touched too many people's lives for him to always keep up. All he knew was that she was a really chill girl that was really good on the basketball court. If he was remembering her correctly, she had had a few offers from smaller colleges to play but she turned them down because she didn't want to play in college.

"Well if she's single when football season is over, bring her to a party that I'm at, I'll take it from there."

Clary turned to smile widely at Jace before composing herself and facing Jem again. "It's a deal."

"Until then, no more bringing up girls."

She sighed. "Deal."

Jace laughed, pulling her into the room. "Don't pout." He told her, leaning down to kiss her once they were safely in the room. "You've still got me."

"I suppose I do." She pushed herself up on her tiptoes and increased the pressure. He almost fell over in surprise as she had never done that in public before. "Sorry." She giggled, pulling away. "I'm just happy to be here."

He squeezed her small body into his big one, hugging her tight. "I'm right there with you, Angel." He didn't think he had ever been happier. He truly had it all now.

 _Wow wow wow I have not updated in a fat minute and for that I am sorry. There's just an epilogue left and then I'll be done. I know this chapter sucks but I found this really really hard to write. I took a step back from this piece and realized how much I hated it and how redundant it was. So I'm just trying to finish it up because there is nothing I hate more than when people leave stories unfinished or deviate too far from what they were originally doing because there was a reason I followed the story in the first place. Anyways, hope the next update is quicker than this. And sorry for all the grammatical errors like wow wow wow they make me cringe, my keyboard is low key broken and I'm always missing letters but who cares, I digress. See ya later :)_


End file.
